


Truth

by BlackGlitter



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Amnesia, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Assassin's Creed crossover, Attempted Murder, Blood and Violence, Crossover, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I surprisingly make a lot of parallels to canon, I'm not european sorry if i get stuff wrong, If you read till the end there's a dog, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Murder, PTSD implications, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Two bros chillin in a hotel bed 0 ft apart cuz they are gay, and the fluff isn't just the dog, gerita - Freeform, human! au, if a sentence sounds like it's from a musical it is, it's a romance i promise, might as well make this a learning experience, multilingualism cuz we're traveling europe, postwar!au, tbh i just used some lore and a character mention, this fic probably has no chill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-06-11 10:40:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 78,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15313701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackGlitter/pseuds/BlackGlitter
Summary: In a whirlwind of events, Ludwig Beilschmidt finds himself accompanying an eccentric young man by the name of Feliciano on a journey to Rome, Italy to discover the mystery of his identity... which may even be connected to his own forgotten past.However, the more Ludwig discovers about Feliciano, the more mysterious and deadly he finds their journey to be.





	1. Nice to Meet You... Again

A young man fled down a cobblestone path shaded by the city’s wide buildings.

 

               The afternoon sunlight gleamed on the weapons of his pursuers. Closing his eyes, he heard the sound of their breathing getting heavier. _Four_ , he counted in his head.  Four people left. A few had already fallen behind moments ago. With a grin, the young man sped up and turned another corner to throw off his pursuers.

              Once he decided to stop, he caught his breath and took in his surroundings. _Whoops, a dead end._   With no other path to take, he decided that the only way to go was up.

              Not too far away, another young man by the name of Ludwig Beilschmidt was sitting in the room of an inn, intently reading a book. His reading was put to a halt as soon as he heard a faint thud from the ceiling. Then another. It kept going. The thuds were quiet, but consistent. Almost like footsteps.

               There was no announcement from the innkeepers that any work would be done on the roof as far as Ludwig recalled. The thuds grew louder and soon enough, they were right above him, advancing towards where the balcony was. His expression twisted with suspicion and he quietly stood up from his desk.

              Ludwig put down his reading glasses. He was partially annoyed that his reading was interrupted, while another part of him was filled with anticipation. He carefully made his way to the opened door that led to the room’s small balcony. One quiet foot after the other.

              Ludwig stopped before the entrance to the balcony and the sound of steps had stopped.  Coming closer, he could hear the sound of someone panting as if they were out of breath. Without a second thought, Ludwig reached for his pistol.

              “Who’s up there? Show yourself!” He said in a firm, commanding voice. A moment passed and he heard the panting fade. A deep breath was taken. Then he heard some shuffling and then another thud. He pulled the pistol into position. Before Ludwig could repeat himself, an upside down head of auburn hair swung right in front of him.

              Surprise was mutually exchanged between the two as they simultaneously gasped. Ludwig instinctively stepped back and kept his gun pointed at the intruder who in turn, swung his head back up to the safety of the roof.

              “Ah, I’m sorry! Please don’t shoot!” a now disembodied voice called out from above. It sounded melodic, almost as if he were singing instead of speaking.

              “Depending on your answers, I might not. Now, who are you and what are doing up there?!” The deep growl of his voice sent a little chill down the young man’s spine.

              “I’m not looking for trouble, I was just looking for a place to hide!” The stranger hastily explained. There was no doubt that he was hiding because he was _already_ in trouble. Ludwig remained in his position with his thumb firm on the safety lock of his pistol, unconvinced by his claim.

              “On the roof…?” The growl had disappeared and the stranger smiled at the sudden change in mood.

              An amused giggle rang from above. “I guess so... Unless you’re willing to let me pass through your room so I can hide inside the building for a bit. I’m actually kind of in a situation right now.” He admitted. He was oddly cheerful for someone who was “in a situation.”

              “And why should I believe you?”  He remained skeptical. The stranger’s head carefully slid back down into view from above. Aside from the short auburn hair, he noticed a pair of bright, expressive eyes the color of amber. A second later, two olive skinned hands carefully slid down next to the stranger’s face splayed out for him to see that there was nothing in them.

              “Well, I’m not holding anything, so I’m not a thief. See? Nothing!“ He playfully waved his hands for a second. “I’m not a big fan of trouble anyway. So may I please come in? It’ll only be a moment!” A charming, but anxious smile was on his face in a flash, disarming Ludwig’s cold expression without notice.

It took Ludwig a moment to comply, but the sudden urgency in the stranger’s demeanor had rushed the decision. The stranger carefully climbed down and landed with a light tap.

              Before Ludwig was now a young man who stood up to his neck and seemed to be around the same age as him. He wore a short brown overcoat and a pale blue collared shirt with its two top buttons unfastened.  In between the two garments was an unbuttoned dark brown vest.  _Sloppy._ The shirt hung loosely over tan pants which were rolled up at the bottom to give way to his hickory brown laced up boots that covered up to the bottom of his calf. _He looks disheveled, but his clothes are too nice for him to be a common thief._ A strangely large, prominent curl protruded from the left side of his head in contrast to his smooth, short auburn hair which parted at the middle. A wary but thankful expression was on his face as he examined his temporary host in return. His unkempt clothing gave away the fact that he had been running around for quite a while. _Maybe he was really harmless…?_

              “ _Piacere,_ nice to meet you!” The stranger smiled. _Italian_. “My name is Feliciano. What’s yours?” Ludwig was taken aback at how composed he was, even with the barrel of a loaded gun pointed at him. _Really friendly…_ He lowered the pistol out of politeness and stuffed it in his belt. Ludwig was so busy examining this peculiar young man that he almost forgot to respond.

              “Ludwig.” He nodded back hastily. “My name is Ludwig.” Feliciano’s eyes brightened and he extended his hand to him.

              “Nice to meet you, Ludwig! Thank you for letting me in!” Ludwig briefly took the hand and shook it, now feeling a bit awkward. Feliciano’s expression was oddly warm, considering the fact that Ludwig had pointed a gun at him mere seconds ago. “You wouldn’t happen to have any water, would you?” He asked sheepishly and looked around the room.

              “I uh…” Ludwig was thrown off by such a casual question in such a strange situation. Nonetheless, he took the water pitcher and glass by the bedside table and fulfilled his request.

              Feliciano practically inhaled the water and took a moment to catch his breath before he asked for more. It was weird, having some random guy come into your inn, only to ask for some water and access to the building from your balcony. After his second glass, he finally spoke. “Thank you so much, Ludwig! I’ll be on my way now.” He said as he lifted the cup from his lips and placed it on the table. He gestured to the door and began to move toward it. However, he was stopped by a muscular arm extended in front of him.

              “Hold on, how come you’re running away?” If Ludwig was going to give him water and let him pass through, he wanted some kind of explanation, at least. It took a moment for Feliciano to respond while he stood there in silence. Perhaps the question had a deeper impact on him than intended. Looking him in the eyes with a tired smile, he simply responded.

              “I don’t like violence.”

              His response perplexed Ludwig. That didn’t really give any kind of answer he expected. Ludwig didn’t get enough time to dwell on those words, for in the blink of an eye, Feliciano dipped under his arm and continued towards the door. Right before he opened it, he paused to turn around.

              “I hope to see you again sometime! _Ci Vediamo!_ ” The same smile was on his face once again, leaving Ludwig with an eyebrow raised and a strange feeling in his chest that wasn’t given any attention as the words rang in his head:  _Until next time_.

              A moment passed as Ludwig processed what the hell just happened. He checked around the areas that his guest had been to see if he had stolen anything. After all, people don’t just come into your inn’s balcony for some water and a quick conversation. Weirdly enough, nothing was missing, so he definitely wasn’t a thief. This Feliciano person’s melodic apology and goodbye stuck in his mind as a weird feeling in his chest continued to nag at him. He needed to know more.

              After some contemplation over his gut feeling, Ludwig decided to follow.

              It wasn’t too hard to spot that gravity-defying curl in the crowd of other patrons sitting at the dining tables and eating their food. Feliciano sat alone at a table next to one of the windows. A mug of coffee sat in front of him, seemingly untouched. He stared outside the window intently, almost as if he were watching for something. Ludwig made sure to maintain his distance and keep out of Feliciano’s sight. What could he be looking for?

              Feliciano suddenly tensed up and frowned as soon as he saw something he didn’t want to see outside the window. He turned his face to the opposite direction and almost saw Ludwig who hid himself behind a column just in time. Holding his breath, Ludwig held firm in his position and peeked over when he felt the time was right.

              At the table where Feliciano sat was an unattended white mug of coffee, still faintly steaming. A generous amount of money was placed next to it for one of the staff to pick up.

              Whoever this guy was, Ludwig gathered, he was awfully quick to have disappeared from the inn’s restaurant in less than ten seconds. Still, that would not deter him from sating his curiosity of this peculiar person’s agenda.

              If it weren’t for his trained eyes, it would have taken Ludwig much longer to find him amongst the bustling throng of people in the German city. It was also due in part to the fact that Feliciano was the only one weaving in and out of the crowd.

              It was now obvious that Feliciano was running away from someone, but for what reason? What had he done to be chased around the city?

              Tailing Feliciano had only led Ludwig in and out of main streets and alleyways. At this point, he began to wonder if it was really worth being this meddlesome. It wasn’t really any of his business after all, even though he had allowed himself to become this person’s accomplice. He took a seat on a nearby bench and swept his hand up his forehead and to the back of his head to fix any possible loose strands from his neatly slicked back hair.

              As he reopened his eyes from a deep sigh he had just produced, the familiar brown coat flitted by before him and then turned in the direction of the nearest alley. In the next second, two men ran by, presumably chasing after Feliciano. This caught Ludwig’s complete attention and he jolted up to examine the commotion.

              Ludwig turned the corner just in time to see Feliciano surrounded by about six people. So they were who he was running from? What exactly was going on?

              From what Ludwig could see, he grew uneasy at the sight of Feliciano being backed into a wall.

 

“You’re surrounded, boy,” one of the men barked. “Surrender and make this easier for all of us!”

              “You don’t have to do this! Please, just leave me alone!” They were now surrounding Feliciano, eagerly closing in on him. His heart pounded in his chest. Two more steps and his back would be to the wall.

              He attempted to reach into one of his pockets for something, but a gun was aimed at him. “Don’t you dare try anything!” There was no other option now.

              However, he had no time to act. Before he knew it, everyone’s attention was brought to one of the men who fell to the floor unconscious, which broke their tight formation.  Behind the fallen man stood another taller, more intimidating one. He had no weapon in either hand, so he presumably knocked him out with his own strength.

              “No, _don’t!!!_ ” cried Feliciano as a number of the men began to attack Ludwig. Attempting to dart over to aid him, Feliciano was too distracted to guard himself from the swift strike of hard metal on the side of the head.

               The world spun just as quickly as the darkness forcefully seeped its way around his conscience.

 

Feliciano slipped in and out of consciousness.

              He couldn’t tell what was going on, for he didn’t stay awake long enough to know what was happening to him. All he could be certain of was the pain, the constant smell of blood, and exhaustion.

              After what seemed like an eternity, Feliciano finally built up the will to keep his eyes open and remain awake. What he first noticed was the light of the evening sky flooding in the room through a window on his left.

              “ _Do-dove sono?_ ” He hoarsely whispered. _Where am I?_

              Was this a hospital? He had to get a better look. But before he could move to get up, a voice sharply stopped him. “ _Don’t._ ” The shock of it made Feliciano gasp as he was compelled to obey the intimidating voice telling him to stay where he was. “Don’t move. You’re safe now.” Not exactly taking this person’s word for it, Feliciano fearfully remained still and heard the owner of the voice put something down to walk over to his side. His steps were heavy, but efficient as he made his way over.

              He saw the person approaching the bedside. A tall, muscular young man with golden hair and beautiful sky blue eyes stood before him. Kneeling down, the young man slowly lifted his hand to check the coolness of the damp cloth on Feliciano’s forehead. His serious expression turned into a frown for a second upon discovering the warmth of the damp cloth.

              Feliciano watched with apprehension as he soaked and wrung out the cloth in a basin on the side table next to the bed. He squeezed his eyes shut as he turned around to briskly put the cloth back to where it had previously been. The cool rag felt relieving on his heated skin. Looking back, Feliciano saw him reach down for something below the bed, making Feliciano flinch.

              “It’s just a flashlight. I need it to assess your condition.” He assured and held up the object for him to see. Cautiously, he placed his fingers on Feliciano’s face to hold his eyelids open as he shined the flashlight into each of his eyes. “How are you feeling?” He paused and moved to the other eye. Feliciano waited for him to stop before he would answer.

              “I… I don’t know…” He spoke with a cracked, raspy voice, for his mouth was dry from not being used for a long time. The splitting headache that he began to take notice of didn’t help with his focus either. The young man nodded in response, accepting it as an answer despite its ambiguity.

              “Do you know what happened to you?” He examined the bandages on Feliciano’s head as Feliciano racked his brain for information that he couldn’t find.

              “…I don’t know…” Feliciano said again, brows furrowing even further. It was so hard to focus. He found himself trembling with the accumulating amount of bodily discomforts he began to take notice of. He felt hot and his head was pounding with pain.

 

 _Maybe the questions I’m asking aren’t appropriate for his current state…_ Ludwig thought.

              This was the first time in a while that Feliciano had been properly responsive, so he decided to be softer on him and ask an even easier question.

              “Alright then, what’s your name?” He was about to get up from the side of the bed when Feliciano’s response stopped him.

              “I…I don’t know…” He admitted with a parched, trembling voice. He appeared to be trying to hide how horrified he felt at the moment. Ludwig’s eyes widened at his unexpected response. He darted his attention to Feliciano who now looked ready to start panicking.

              “You mean you…” Ludwig couldn’t believe it. “Is there anything you remember? Anything at all?”

              “…No, I’m sorry!” Feliciano looked as if he were about to start crying and pleading for his life at this point. Apparently the shock in Ludwig’s voice was misinterpreted as a demanding tone. “Please don’t hurt me!”

              “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help.” He softened his voice and briefly assured with both of his hands up to show that he meant no harm. “Maybe you’re still in shock. You really don’t remember anything?”

              “I don’t.” His current expression now resembled that of a sad puppy in Ludwig’s eyes. He shook the thought and focused on his reply.

              “Oh, I’m sorry...” Ludwig frowned. “In that case, my name is Ludwig.” He carefully reached out to shake his hand, which Feliciano allowed. “We briefly met yesterday, so I can’t really tell you much about yourself. You were injured, so I’ve been taking care of you since then. The nearest hospital was too far away, so I ended up bringing you here.” He paused to let that sink in. Ludwig purposely withheld the part about the assault to keep Feliciano as calm as he could. “And when we met, you told me that your name was Feliciano.”

              “Oh…”He nodded, thankful for the information. That name sounded right. A moment passed in silence as he processed the situation. Ludwig could see his shoulders lose some tension as he calmed down a bit. “What exactly happened to me? Do you know?”

              “I wasn’t there for all of it. I only came in time to find you lying unconscious on the ground.” It was the truth, but it wasn’t the whole truth. It was important that he didn’t know all of it . Not now. Not yet, at least.

“Thank you, Ludwig…” He gave a shy half-smile, “It’s nice to meet you… again.”

              “Just rest for now. If you decide to sleep, I’ll have to wake you up every once in a while to make sure that you’re okay since your brain is most likely damaged. That’s what I’ve been doing with you for a while now. Also, please try not to move around as much as possible.”  With that, he got up and went back to his desk.

              Ludwig made sure that Feliciano was asleep before he removed the jacket he had pulled over his shoulders so he could continue to redress the small wounds he had gotten from his scuffle with Feliciano’s pursuers. He was quite thankful that he still remembered these medical skills even though it had been years since he had to use them.

 

“Ludwig?”

              Said person was stopped in his tracks before he made his way to the bathroom. It had been another tough day and night looking after Feliciano. Still, Ludwig had not wavered in his resolve, for he knew what he was doing was the right thing.

              He turned around to see Feliciano slowly positioning himself to sit up, so he rushed over to assist him immediately.

              “What is it?” He continued their conversation and gave him a glass of water to drink from.

              “Was I carrying anything with me? Like a bag?” He drank from the glass and put it on the side table.

              “Yes, actually. Do you want to look through it?”

              “Yes please.” Ludwig took a medium-sized brown leather backpack from the end of the bed and placed it on his lap.

              “I’ll be right back. I’m going to the restroom.”

              “Alright. Thank you!”

 

Feliciano was touched by the extent that this stranger cared for him even though they had only met briefly.

              Although he seemed intimidating at first, Ludwig had proved himself to be someone very straightforward and responsible. Because of this, Feliciano decided that he felt safe around him. Putting that thought aside, he took his time to examine this mysterious bag that was apparently his. The leather was worn at and had many scratches in random places, yet it still felt more than sturdy enough to be entrusted with holding whatever he needed. He undid the secured buckles that sealed it tightly and lifted the flap up and over to the opposite side of the bag. Taking a deep breath beforehand, Feliciano began to dig into its contents.

              Inside the bag was a bundle of clothing, a pouch of necessities, scattered pieces of wrapped candy, a larger pouch full of money that held the weight of what was possibly a small fortune, and a letter in an envelope that had its wax seal already broken.

              Feliciano placed the other items back into the backpack and kept the letter that was addressed to him. The envelope had a little wear, suggesting that he had it for a while now. His name on the front of the small white envelope appeared to be written in a hurry. He turned it around to the side where it opened and examined the wax seal. The shape stamped on the wax was a decorative triangular-shaped symbol that he was sure that he had seen countless times before. Some part of him knew that this symbol was very important. Anticipation built in his chest as he pulled out the letter from within the envelope and carefully unfolded the paper.

              The letter contained the same rushed writing in Italian. It was dated to a couple of weeks prior to today. Feliciano hung onto every word he read. It said:

_Feliciano, this damned letter better get to you in time! Plans have changed. I’m sorry, but I can’t meet with you in Germany. I’m making a quick stop to Spain, so I’ll be there by the time you get this. We’ll have to meet in Rome instead. I’ll be back by the time you get here._

_Also, be careful with the piece when you get it, okay?_

_Just don’t do anything stupid._

_Also, thank you._

_-Lovino_

              Lovino. Judging by the way this person talked in the letter, he was definitely someone Feliciano was familiar with. But what “piece” was he talking about and why were his words so harsh? Feliciano reread the letter several times before he put it back. Even more questions ran through his mind the more he took a look at it. No matter how much he prodded at his mind for answers, he could only bring up vague memories that he couldn’t make anything out of.

               With a sigh, Feliciano put the letter back and tucked it into the bag. Pulling out the bundle of clothes once more, he realized that it was heavier than a normal pack of clothes should be. The same mysterious decorative triangular symbol was on the belt that held the clothing bundle together.

              Unraveling the bundle, he found a different set of clothing, along with a wrapped box that rolled out of it. He could tell that the small box was wrapped with cloth and string carefully as if it held something very important. He was quite certain that this was the piece that the letter referred to.

              Feliciano sat there staring at the wooden box in his hands. The longer he held it, the more he forgot about his terrible headache. He decided to take a look inside. Perhaps it would be able to jog some of his memory.

              As he brought it closer to his face, he noticed that nothing tumbled around inside. Whatever it was, it was well-secured. Bringing it closer, Feliciano gave it a shake close to his ear to get a clue of what was inside. As his eyes were closed, a bright light filled the room in a flash.  Feliciano opened his eyes and he could have sworn he saw the tail end of some kind of flash of light from the box.

              However, Feliciano’s thoughts shifted to a matter even more pressing. For some reason, the pain from his injury had vanished.

 

Ludwig returned from the restroom holding a damp hand towel over his bare shoulders.

              He was pulling back the rest of his wet hair from his forehead and noticed Feliciano who was now smacking his bandaged head on the place of his injury. Ludwig froze with his mouth agape and rushed over to stop him, completely overlooking the tank top he had forgotten to take to the shower with him.

              “What do you think you’re doing?! That’ll only make it worse!” The sharpness of his tone made Feliciano freeze up and immediately stop.

              “I’m sorry!!!” He squeaked and clutched his lowered hand near his chest. Ludwig realized that he scared Feliciano and suddenly felt guilty.

              Ludwig softened his tone as he explained. “Your brain is damaged and you need to leave the wound alone so it can heal naturally.” _Just how badly was his brain damaged to have him act this way?_

              “I can explain!” Feliciano said excitably. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. I’m okay now!” Ludwig gave him a skeptical look. If anyone knew how ‘okay’ Feliciano really was, it would be Ludwig because he had seen and taken care of the wound himself. “Look!”

              At least Ludwig thought he knew. Feliciano removed the bandage and there was no injury. Not even a scar was present. It was completely gone as if there had never been a wound on his head.

              Ludwig couldn’t believe it. He checked and he checked again. He was absolutely sure there was a terrible gash the last time he had looked, for Ludwig had just cleaned and redressed the wound an hour ago.

 

It took a while, but Ludwig finally spoke.

              “How about your memories?” Feliciano watched Ludwig pause to look around the room. “Did you remember anything at all?” Feliciano shook his head in response, causing Ludwig frown and nod.

              “I found a clue, though.” Feliciano said. Ludwig stopped in his tracks to look at a tank top sitting on a dresser. He turned around.

              “So there was something helpful in your bag?” Ludwig continued to the dresser and picked up the garment. Feliciano was unconsciously observing him and admiring the toned muscles of his exposed upper body. His torso had a number of scars all over, varying in color, shape, and size. 

              “…Yeah…” He trailed off. The young man’s skin appeared fair and smooth like alabaster. _Che bello…_ Feliciano’s eyes were about to trail down right below his belt until Ludwig turned around, making his eyes shoot back up. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks from embarrassment.

              “I’m glad to hear that. What was it?” He said as he finished pulling down the tank top over defined abs that Feliciano wished he had seen more of.

              “A letter.” Feliciano said a bit more sharply than he should have. He pulled his legs closer together and pulled them up so he could rest his arms on his knees.

              “Hm.” Ludwig nodded. “What did it say?”

              Feliciano proceeded to tell him about this Lovino person who he was to meet with in Rome.

              Ludwig crossed his arms and nodded pensively. “So the next logical move for you would be to find a way to Rome.” Feliciano nodded in agreement then pushed the sheets off of himself so he could stand up and stretch. “How are you planning on getting there?”

              “I’ll find a way.” He shrugged with a shy smile. He picked up his bag and scanned the room for his coat and shoes which he found neatly placed by the door next to a larger pair of dirtied dark brown boots. “Thank you for taking care of me, Ludwig. You’re very kind!” He smiled and walked in his direction. Opening his backpack, he reached inside and grabbed a handful of the small fortune in his bag. “This should be more than enough, right?” The amount of currency in Feliciano’s hand was more than generous.

              “I don’t want your money.” He shook his head and gently pushed the hand away.

              “I insist!” Feliciano pouted his lips, stretching his hand out further. “Please take it! How else would I be able to thank you?”

              “I was just doing what anyone else should have done.” He firmly insisted.

              “Fine…” Feliciano huffed, not wanting it to turn into an argument. He put the money away and began walking in assumption that Ludwig would give way.

              Before Feliciano could make it past Ludwig, he lost his footing and found his view of the floor growing ever closer by the millisecond. His breath caught in its tracks as he found himself unexpectedly supported by a pair of strong, muscular arms. Feliciano expressed his gratefulness as he was set back into place. In the blink of an eye, a thought that being held by those strong arms for a moment felt rather… nice. He wasn’t given enough time to entertain that notion, for Ludwig spoke.

              “You’re not going anywhere by yourself in your condition.” He said sternly. “I have no idea why your injury healed so quickly, but it wouldn’t be right if I let you go out there alone. Especially after what you just went through.”

              “I-I’ll be fine on my own…” Feliciano stammered. He wasn’t quite certain he would be okay, but he would be damned if he didn’t try. He continued, but was stopped by Ludwig again.

              “Also, there’s something I should tell you. It’s about when I found you.” Sitting Feliciano down in the nearest seat, he proceeded to close the window and check outside the hall of the door before he told him about the attack in the alley.

 

“So you met me when I was climbing on the roof and then later saw me being robbed, so you came to help me, but then I got hit in the head…”

              It sounded absolutely crazy, but Ludwig could tell that Feliciano believed him.

              “Yes. Unfortunately, that’s all I know about you.” He said almost apologetically.

              Feliciano sat there thinking. He looked to Ludwig and back down to his fidgeting hands.

              “What is it?” Ludwig asked.

              Catching Feliciano by surprise, his eyes lit up. “Wow, it’s like you can read my mind!”

              “You just looked like you wanted to say something.”

              “Oh.”

              “What is it, then?”

              Feliciano looked uncertain, but Ludwig looked at him intently, ready for whatever he had to say. “So… Does that mean you’ll go with me? To _Roma—_ Rome, I mean.” One look into those hopeful eyes and Ludwig knew his fate was sealed.

              “I-I guess so.” He stammered. Somewhere deep within him, he knew that this would be one of the most reckless decisions he would ever make.

              “THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!” Feliciano sang. He shot up from his seat and immediately embraced Ludwig who was still seated. Ludwig froze up awkwardly. _Do something_ , he hissed at himself in his mind. The next best thing that he could think of was to maybe pat his back a bit, but before his hand could find its target, Feliciano pulled back so he could pull Ludwig up and hug him properly, which he succeeded at while Ludwig stood there rigidly.

              “Does this mean we’re friends now?” He poked his head out from his chest mid-embrace.

              “I… I guess…” The thought of making a friend astonished Ludwig. He began to blush and stared at the floor as he spoke. “I haven’t really had many friends, so I’m not sure if I’ll treat you well—” His last statement was interrupted by Feliciano who began to speak very quickly.

              “Oh this is going to be _great!_ I’ll do my best to not be a burden to you! I’ll even pay our way since I have a lot of money with me! Ooh! You can help me if we run into those scary people again, if that’s okay, of course! I’m sure you’re better at fighting than I would be since you’re so robust and intimidating!” Ludwig wasn’t sure whether or not to be offended at the last statement that he caught. After hanging on to that sentence, he got lost as Feliciano went on and on.

              Ludwig could already tell that this was going to be a very unusual journey.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it!  
> This fic is honestly just a work of love and I wasn't even sure if I was going to publish it online. (Are the Hetalia and Assassin's Creed fandoms still alive?) It took me 5 years to complete this, so I figured why not.  
> This is actually a complete work. If you don't see all the chapters, stay posted. It'll definitely come within the week. I'm probably just rereading and editing each part for the hundredth time.  
> Comments are appreciated!


	2. That's What Friends Do, Isn't It?

“So our next move will be to plan our route there.”

              The two had a map of Europe laid out on a table before them. It was a map outdated by a couple years, for some of the countries’ names weren’t up-to-date and some recent border changes were not included. Even so, it still gave the information they needed.

              “Hm…” Feliciano stared at the map. For a while. Ludwig was about to ask him what he was thinking, but he saw his shoulders rise as if he were taking a breath to begin speaking, so he waited. “You know, Austria kind of looks like a chicken leg!”

              Ludwig instantly slapped his forehead with his palm in disappointment. Taking a deep breath, he began to run his hand through his hair. “Alright. Obviously we’ll have to go south through either France, Switzerland, or Austria. I’d say the quickest way would be to go through Austria.” Ludwig looked to Feliciano for a response and found a pensive look on his face.

 “I think I’ve been there before… in Vienna.” He said, tilting his head and placing his fingertip on the marking for the Austrian capital. “I’ve lived somewhere near there for a while.”

              “Alright. Maybe we can go there and try to jog your memory. If we’re lucky, we may be able to find someone that knows you.” It was a shot in the dark, but it was a start. Ludwig felt relieved that Feliciano was beginning to remember things, even as vague as the details were.

              “Alright, Ludiwg!” Feliciano turned to him with a smile. Turning his eyes back down to the map, he began to wonder what they would find once they got there.

             

The two left the inn as the stars were about to begin fading in the early morning sky.

              “So we’re heading south towards Austria.” Ludwig said to Feliciano as they crossed the edge of the city. “That means we’ll keep following this road until we reach the next city. There’s a railroad station down there that we can take.” He pointed at a winding road going in the direction that was determined as south. “When we get there, we’ll take the earliest train. The train systems still haven’t completely repaired from the war so it won’t be as efficient, but it’s still the fastest way.” Feliciano nodded as they looked around at the darkened edge of the city.

              “Why are we leaving at such an odd hour, Ludwig?” Feliciano shivered and grabbed on to Ludwig’s arm as a cold breeze flowed their way.

Ludwig felt a bit awkward, but Feliciano was cold and that was why he was holding on to him. If he needed warmth, Ludwig would certainly help. _That’s what friends do, isn’t it?_

              “It’s the uh—fastest way to get to where we need to go. Also, we don’t want to run into those people who attacked you, so moving around at odd hours is safer.” He said matter-of-factly, trying to push away the awkwardness he felt from having his arm held so closely.

              “Oh… Makes sense.” Feliciano reached behind his back for his hood and pulled it over his head. The two continued walking in the silent darkness of the early morning without a word. If they weren’t trying to avoid unwanted attention, Feliciano thought, this would have almost seemed like an early morning stroll. After thinking for a bit more, he then tugged tighter on his sleeve. “Ludwig…?”

              “Yes?”

              “Why are you going out of your way to help me?” The sound of their footsteps in the early morning filled the silence for a long moment. Feliciano wasn’t sure if it was the chill of the morning or his nervousness that made him involuntarily shudder.

              “I…” Ludwig furrowed his brows further and stopped in his tracks, making Feliciano pull on his arm at first, unaware that he had stopped. “I believe it’s the right thing to do.” He spoke with certainty, which Feliciano found to be comforting.

              “How do you know all these things? Things like how to uh— fight, and how to avoid those people?”

              “Being in the military got me used to planning ahead and fighting.”

              “ _Beh_ , that’s so cool! What rank are you?”

              “I _was_ a captain.”

              “A captain? Wow, that’s amazing! No wonder why you’re always so serious!” Feliciano sounded more excited than Ludwig was used to hearing. “So you left the military?” Feliciano tugged a bit so that they would continue walking.

              “I chose to be honorably discharged not too long ago.” He responded matter-of-factly.

              “Oh… Then what have you been doing all this time?” Ludwig took increasing note of Feliciano holding his arm even tighter, making Ludwig go even more rigid out of awkwardness.

              “Traveling. That’s why I’m able to go to Rome with you.”

              “Oh yeah, I meant to ask if you had a job to go back to or something. So I guess you’re on… permanent vacation?”

              “You can say that, yes.” Ludwig said with a tiny shrug.

“How long have you been traveling?”

              “As soon as I left the military.”

              “What made you want to travel?”

              At that question, Ludwig grew silent once more. He could feel his companion’s grip loosen a bit. “The military is all I’ve known.” He paused again. “The only traveling I’ve ever done was part of my duty to my country, so I just wanted to see more of it for myself.” Ludwig was about to continue, but he decided against it.

              “So what’ll you do when you finish traveling?” At Feliciano’s questions, Ludwig grew pensive once more.

“I... haven’t really thought that far.” His brow furrowed further as he began to think.

“That’s okay, you still have a lot of time to think about it.” He smiled, distracting Ludwig from his own thoughts.

A moment later, he spoke. “I suppose I’d like to have my own house...”

              “By yourself? How about family?” Someone as kind as Ludwig _had_ to have a loving family, right?

              “You’re asking a lot of questions.” He couldn’t bring himself to let his thoughts wander to that confusing aspect of his life.

              “Oh… I’m sorry.” A bit of dejection filled Feliciano’s tone as they continued on their way. Feliciano began to silently muse his thoughts about who would be waiting for him in Rome and about who Lovino was.

              More silence passed as they continued walking, leaving the two to wonder exactly how long they had they been going. Looking out at the distance, they could see that the sun, although not in visible range, was beginning to illuminate the sky.

              Several moments passed by until Feliciano began to grow tired while Ludwig was still going at an efficient pace. His request for them to slow down did not come to fruition, but it wasn’t long until they could finally view the next city over.  It was quite a sight to behold in the early morning light. The city was at a lower elevation than their current path, so the two were able to see it as a whole. They spotted the railroad and the tiny moving specks that were people beginning their day early.

              Feliciano released Ludwig’s arm, leaving it feeling cold from the lack of warmth that he had provided, and ran towards the city, easily ignoring his exhaustion.

              “Slow down!” Ludwig called at his companion, still worried about his condition. However, the warning barely reached Feliciano’s ears, so he turned around to ask what he had said, but tripped in the process.  Ludwig ran to the side of his fallen companion and helped him stand back up. “I warned you!”

              “I’m sorry!” Feliciano brushed himself off and chuckled a bit. “Thank you, Ludwig!” he chimed.

              “No need to apologize, just be more careful next time.”

              The two continued on their way—slower, this time.

 

Ludwig took on a cautious air as they entered the city.

              Feliciano, on the other hand, had wandered here and there with his companion constantly tethering him to their planned route through the city. Ludwig had warned him against talking to just anyone they walked by, but Feliciano couldn’t help but flirt with any beautiful young woman they came across. Ludwig sighed and pulled him away each time.

              “C’mon, Ludwig! I’m sure what happened in Germany was a one-time thing! I was just being friendly! Is that so bad?” The two were settled in their seats in the private train car across from one another. Ludwig was too deep in thought to register what he said. “…Ludwig?”

              “Yes?”

              “Can I ask you something personal?”

              “No.”

              “Have you ever…” Ignoring his response, olive-skinned fingers fidgeted a little and amber eyes looked out the window as he then blurted his question in contrast to his previously curious tone. “Have you ever been with a girl?” His question was greeted with silence. “…Are you not into girls?” A troubled look appeared upon Ludwig’s face. If Feliciano hadn’t redirected his eyes to the view outside the window, he would have seen a light blush burning at his cheeks. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that…” He apologized.

The two stayed silent as they both drifted off in thought and stared at the passing scenery. Hours passed by as Feliciano prodded his mind for any memories he could muster.

 

“LUDWIG!!!”

              Feliciano’s voice pierced the state of absentmindedness Ludwig was in, making him jump a little in his seat to look at his companion excitedly squirming in his own seat.

              “What is it?” He was feeling a hint of irritation from his interrupted thoughts.

              “I remembered something!” Now the two of them were filled with anticipation for what Feliciano had to share.

              “What did you remember?”

              “It’s just a small detail, but you know that person who wrote the letter that I have?” Ludwig nodded to let him continue. “He’s my brother!”

              “Hm.” Ludwig acknowledged with a quick nod. “I’m glad you have family. Then we can probably assume that you live in Rome.”

              “Wow, Rome? That’s wonderful! Hold on.” Feliciano closed his eyes and squeezed his eyes shut.

              “What are you doing?” Ludwig asked with one brow raised. Feliciano shushed him gently with his hand and continued concentrating. All he could remember were a few details about the city like where buildings were and the big monuments like the Roman Colosseum and how he and his brother would like to sneak in there at night and pretend to be gladiators. He rambled on about it until he described all that he could remember while Ludwig listened intently.

              “Hey, Ludwig?”

              “Yes?”

              “Do _you_ have any brothers?” Ludwig pursed his lips and looked out the window again.

              “I have one.”

              Feliciano grew excited, not noticing the slight change in this companion’s mood. “Really? That’s great! We both have a brother! What’s his name? How old is he? What’s he like?”

              “His name is Gilbert. He’s a bit older than me, so he should be about… twenty-seven.” Ludwig gazed out the window with an unreadable expression.

              “Where is he now?” Feliciano was sitting at the edge of his seat, extremely interested. Ludwig finally took notice of this, and directed his attention at him.

              “That’s what I’ve been trying to find out since I left the military, actually. I don’t know too much about him, but he went missing years ago and I haven’t heard from him since.”

              At that, Feliciano’s expression softened with sympathy. “I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe I can help you look for him! Do you have any leads?”

              “Not really. It’s fine, though. I don’t expect to actually find him. He could be dead for all I know.” Feliciano frowned at his companion’s sullen expression.

              “If he’s really out there, I promise I’ll help you find him too.”

              “…Thank you.” Ludwig said, not really believing it would happen.

              The two then slipped back into the silence as they both stared out the window.

 

During their journey together, Ludwig had found himself accompanying the weirdest person he had ever met.

              At this point, they had visited several places and had drawn some undesired attention because of Feliciano. It turns out that Feliciano had a strange habit of climbing on any structure to get to where he wanted to go, whether it be a fence, a bench, or even a statue.

              One time, a young woman’s hat flew away with a gust of wind, and in the blink of an eye, Feliciano was running after it. Eventually when Ludwig caught up, he bore witness to Feliciano climbing the spiked iron fence of someone’s private property like it was nothing, and fishing the hat out of a neatly trimmed bush.

              “Why do you keep going where I can’t see you?” He asked with an exasperated sigh as he usually would.

              “Sorry for worrying you, Ludwig! But traveling is faster this way! Also, it’s _way_ more fun. You should try it!” Feliciano apologized as usual and quelled his frustration with a hug, which Ludwig would tense up for and remain silent as they went on their way, trying to understand how he felt about those… acts of… friendship..? He wasn’t used to it. In fact, he wasn’t used to someone like Feliciano at all.

              The young man’s actions were always very bouncy and he sometimes tripped when he was on the ground, despite his adeptness at climbing things. He was almost always smiling as well, which matched his actions. The most prominent feature of his traveling partner, as Ludwig had observed, was that Feliciano was constantly talking. And he was a fast talker too. He would talk about pretty much anything and everything on his mind. Ludwig had also observed that he was either talking, sleeping, or talking himself to sleep. One might think that all of this chatter would be annoying after a while, but it wasn’t to Ludwig. Rather, he found that he sounded pleasant. The way Feliciano spoke was in an almost melodic manner, smooth like caramel and warm like sunlight, usually talking about a new thing he remembered or wanted to share.

In fact, Ludwig was rather thankful that Feliciano liked to talk because he wasn’t very talkative himself. But when he had something to share, Feliciano would listen intently. It was… really nice, actually. There were, however, moments when Feliciano would stay silent for a long time, probably trying to remember something. Seeing how it was Feliciano, though, it wouldn’t take too long for him to bounce right back and continue being himself. Overall, he certainly wasn’t boring at all to be around, so Ludwig found himself enjoying Feliciano’s presence despite how strange he was.

              And so, their days continued as such.

 

It was no difficult task to find a place to stay for the night.

              To Ludwig’s dismay, Feliciano had picked out an actual hotel instead of an inn like he preferred. ”I’m tired of staying in inns!  Why don’t we go somewhere nice for a change?” His mind was set on the place despite Ludwig’s disapproval. Nonetheless, he ended up going along with it.

              “Wow, look at the view, Ludiwg!” Feliciano bounced up and down excitedly at the sight outside of the window. The sky was now a deep blue and the lights of the Austrian city glistened with warm spots of amber in the night. “Kind of romantic, don’t you think?” He turned his head to see what his companion was doing.

              “Hm? Oh, sure.” Ludwig briefly looked up from his items that he was carefully taking inventory of and unpacking. He was not used to such a luxurious looking hotel room. In fact, he felt out of place. The beds were rather large to be considered for one person and the paintings hung upon the elegantly wallpapered walls were undoubtedly beautiful, but they felt rather unnecessary to him. “I still don’t understand why you would choose such a place.” Ludwig sighed a little. If they had gone to a simpler inn, that would have saved money and worry of ruining anything in this room which felt like more like a museum.

              “It’s nice for a change instead of those boring inns! Just enjoy it, Ludwig!” Feliciano assured with a sweet smile. He redirected his attention to the view outside, taking in all the splendor of the scenery. The thing that caught his attention the most was the beautifully lit building that was close by. “Ludwig, I think that’s the Vienna Opera House.” He poked the glass of the window to point at it. The soft delivery of his words had not reached Ludwig’s ears, who was now heading towards the bathroom to carefully examine everything in it.

Feliciano stared out the window with a fading smile as he examined the extravagantly lit opera house. He realized that it wasn’t just the beauty of the building that stunned him. Something about the opera house filled him with a sense of familiarity. He felt almost drawn to the opera house, as if something were waiting inside for him.

What could it be?

              Feliciano stood there staring at the familiar building until Ludwig returned from examining the bathroom.

              “You can use the bathroom first if you want.” Ludwig said as he went back to his things on his bed, unknowingly snapping Feliciano out of his daze.

              “Alright! Thank you!” Feliciano turned on his heel and glided across the room into the bathroom, announcing that he was going to take a bath.

              Ludwig was left there with his things. Checking the clock, it was still a little early to sleep, so he decided to look out the window and find out what Feliciano was raving about.

              Something caught in the former soldier’s breath as he peered out at the beautiful view of the city. He was right, it was quite a sight. The streetlights in the distance appeared as if they were stars planted in the ground. Closer to where he was, he could see a magnificently lit building that had several well-dressed people filing inside.

              A moment later, Ludwig lost interest and decided to get ready for bed.

 

Meanwhile, Feliciano began to remove his clothing in preparation for a bath.

              The ivory-colored tub with a golden spout and handles had already been filling with hot water while the bath salt finished its process of dissolving. Feliciano had taken off his dark brown coat and placed it on the chair along with his footwear, having kicked them off near a cushioned bench. Starting with his pants, he began to toss most of his clothes in the same place, not caring that they were ready to fall on the floor.

              It was then that he remembered to grab his backpack from the corner of the bathroom. He opened the bag and carefully pulled out two leather braces.

              He had found them on his forearms after he had been healed from his injury, but he put them away in his bag because he didn’t think they were that important.

Now that they were brought to his attention, they felt pretty heavy for simple braces. There was a long, rectangular piece of metal attached to each of the leather pieces. He examined the leather braces closer, finding vines decoratively engraved in the center of the metal. The twin pieces were perfectly symmetrical.

He decided to try them on.

              Feliciano began to wonder why he would have such a strange pair of arm braces. But what he found to be even stranger was that it felt natural for them to be on his arms.  Feliciano traced his finger over the mirrored designs on both pieces and found matching switches.  He held out his left arm and squeezed his eyes shut. He flipped it and nothing happened.

              Part of him was glad because he honestly didn’t know what to expect. He let his arms fall in relief and suddenly the sound of metal whizzing out and clicking in place surprised him. Something felt different about the weight on his arm. Slowly bringing his arm up, Feliciano found a sharp metal blade drawn out from the metal piece that he was now certain was not just for fashion.

              He stared at it for a moment with widened eyes. Why the hell would he have or even need _blades_ on his arms?! It seemed like it was good for self-defense, but it only raised even more questions about his identity.

              His thoughts were redirected to the bathtub that was about to overflow onto the floor. Scrambling to turn it off, he forgot to retract the blade, so it clashed with a part of the tub. An unpleasant sound reverberated in the room as the blade made an impact.

Oh no! Had he damaged it?

After stopping the flow of water which was now partially spilled onto the floor, Feliciano raised his arm to search for any damage on the fancy blade. Not a scratch. Then he looked to the tub. Unfortunately, the finish of the tub had been scratched off of the spot where the blade had collided.  Cringing at the sight, Feliciano decided to disengage the blades and remove the braces.

As he was examining the extracted blade and wondering how to withdraw it, his muscle memory kicked in and he smoothly retracted the blade. It felt rather natural, considering how unnatural it was to carry hidden blades on your arms. It felt natural, just like how he felt the urge to climb things, knowing that he would get places faster that way.

 _So this is what they mean by muscle memory, huh?_ He thought to himself. _I probably shouldn’t tell Ludwig about this yet, I don’t want him to worry any more than he already does._  He removed the braces and placed them farther away on the marble bathroom counter than necessary.

Feliciano soaked in the tub for a while. He stared at the braces across the room trying to remember, trying to make sense of things.

 

“I’m finished, Ludwig! You can use the bathroom now!” A cheerful voice rang out.

              Ludwig, who was now clad in his tank top and boxers, turned his head to see his companion who came from the bathroom wearing only a towel. He stepped forward and the towel fell, exposing the entirety of his body. Instantly, Ludwig’s jaw dropped along with the book in his hand. The only sound in the room for a few seconds was the flopping of the pages and their cover.

              Unsure of where to look, Ludwig covered his eyes and turned away. “Where are your clothes?!” he almost demanded with heated cheeks.

              “Oh yeah, I left them in the bathroom!” Feliciano’s expression lit up with realization. Hearing his carefree trotting back into the bathroom, Ludwig caught a glimpse of his backside, which added another hue of red to his already blushing face. Doing his best to regain his composure, Ludwig retrieved his book from the floor to find where he left off.

              Leaving the bathroom quicker than Ludwig had expected, the redheaded young man walked across the room, a pile of clothing bundled in his arms and his boots hanging from his fingers by the laces. His clothes were damp in certain areas due to the spill in the tub, so he placed them out to dry.

              Ludwig used all of his willpower to keep his eyes glued to the book he was reading instead of looking up and accidentally having his eyes wander where they shouldn’t be. His eyes skimmed the pages, but he retained none of it. Instead, his thoughts raced.

A few seconds passed and he did not hear any sounds that implied that Feliciano was changing. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to sleep naked.”

              “Huh?” Feliciano’s attention was directed to his flustered companion. “Why not?” He asked as if he was told not to eat when he was hungry.

              At that moment, Ludwig began to wonder if all Italians were like this too.

 

“Hey, Ludwig?”

              “Yes?” Said person responded for the fifth time as they both lay in the dark.

              “Can you tell me a story?” A now semi-clothed Feliciano lay in his own bed, a small distance away from Ludwig, unknowingly being a nuisance to his companion.

              “No.”

              “Oh. Okay then.” He paused in thought. “Ludwig—“

              “ _Please_. Go to _sleep_.” He sighed out, making it sound like he really meant to say ‘shut up’.

              “Okay! Goodnight, Ludwig!” With that, the two fell into silence.

 

Hours later, Ludwig felt a presence standing at his bedside.

              A hand was reaching towards him.

Instinct kicked in, and in a matter of seconds, the intruder was pinned down on his bed with the barrel of a pistol pointed at their forehead.

              Before Feliciano could register what had just happened, all he could process were those icy blue eyes glaring at him in the moonlight. Upon eye contact, a sleepy Ludwig regained his awareness.

              “Eh?!” was all Feliciano could squeak as his eyes began to water.

              “Feliciano?!” Ludwig removed the gun from his companion’s forehead. His tone was incredulous. “What are you doing?!”

 

The lamp in between the two beds was lit.

              The two sat across from each other with the redheaded young man hanging his head in shame and sniffling a bit.

              “Now tell me what you want.” Ludwig demanded with his arms crossed in annoyance. He had lost more sleep than he would have liked to and grew more impatient by the second.

              “I uh...” Feliciano stammered and began to splutter incoherent words which Ludwig didn’t even try to decode.

              “Get to the point!” His voice now sounded like a drill sergeant, forcing Feliciano to automatically pull himself together.

              “I… I wanted to sleep next to you. Since we’re friends and all… That’s it, I promise.” He admitted with his knees now tucked under his chin. Ludwig sighed.

              “Is that how you sleep with friends in Italy? Naked?” A frown was on his face.

              “I’m wearing boxers!” He indicated his one article of clothing. “In Germany, do you point guns at your friends’ heads?” The Italian retorted with a pout. “I think my forehead is going to bruise!” He put a hand to where the barrel of the gun had been pressed.

              Ludwig gulped and looked to the floor with guilt. After apologizing, he sighed and moved over. “Alright, then. Do whatever you want.”

              At that, Feliciano’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really?!”

              “Would you go back to your own bed if I said ‘no’?”

              “Nope!” He spoke playfully. “ _Grazie_ , Ludwig!”

              “…Just go to sleep already.” He grumbled, turning off the light and settling back down.

              “Thank you for letting me sleep with you—er, _next_ to you.” Feliciano said softly in the darkness with a smile.

 “This is just for tonight, okay?” He grumbled again.

              Ludwig closed his eyes for half a minute before his bedmate began to speak. “Hey, Ludwig, you look grumpy when you sleep.”

              Not caring whether or not to be offended at this point, Ludwig responded. “That’s just how my face is. Now go to sleep.” He turned his back to his bedmate.

 

              Feliciano grew silent, still observing what little he saw of his face that was always so serious. _Now that I think of it, he’s never looked completely relaxed at all_ , he thought to himself. He repositioned his head on the pillow and could now feel the lump of the pistol beneath it. _Having nothing but a gun to accompany him all those nights must be very lonely…_

“Alright then… Goodnight.”

 

A couple of hours passed by, feeling like an eternity to Ludwig.

              His eyes had been closed, but he wasn’t able to sleep.

Ludwig sat up in bed and peered down at his bedmate with a wary expression. Feliciano was sleeping peacefully. His lips were slightly parted from what he could see in the dim light of the moon. Some of his shoulder was exposed from Ludwig moving the sheets, so a careful hand pulled them back.

              _I can’t sleep like this_ , he thought to himself. It was a strange experience to the former captain who had endured countless nights of icy wind and roaring gunfire alone. _Why can’t I do this simple thing? Why can’t I sleep with him next to me?_  He wondered.

              _This is only for tonight_ , he repeated like a mantra. _Only for tonight_.

              That night, Ludwig barely slept at all.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok but for real though, Austria looks like a fried chicken leg.


	3. The Price of Remembering

When morning came, Feliciano awoke alone.

              Rubbing his eyes at first, he noticed that Ludwig was nowhere to be seen. He was about to panic until he noticed the sound of the shower running, meaning that Ludwig was in there.

              Perking up and hopping out of bed, Feliciano walked over to the rest of his clothing with a little bounce in his step. Picking up the garments, he began to put them on. As he unfolded his coat, the two leather braces rolled out and on to the floor.

              Picking them up, Feliciano’s perky mood dampened a bit as he remembered his rediscovery of the blades last night. Something within him was telling him to put them on. After all, his wrists felt empty without them. He reasoned that the best place to hide it was in plain sight, so he had no other choice but to obey his gut feeling.

              After fastening the braces, he ran his fingers down the cold metal that felt familiar to the touch. He stood there for a moment, trying to dig deeper into the fragments of memory that these triggered. The sound of the flow of water coming to a stop snapped Feliciano out of his trance, causing him to rush to put his shirt on before his companion could see anything he didn’t want him to.

              Scrambling with his buttons and getting them in the wrong slot too often, his heartbeat began to quicken along with the pace of his one-sided race with Ludwig.

              The door clicked open and out walked Ludwig. His blond hair hung loose over his forehead, still damp. He was clad in his tank top and boxers with a towel that hung over his shoulders. Turning his head, he noticed his companion struggling with his buttons.

              “ _Guten morgen_ , Ludwig!” Feliciano waved, thankful that he remembered to check the switch before he put the blades on.

 

              “ _Guten morgen_.” He replied with a nod and thought for a second. “Do you speak German?” he asked casually. “I never thought about asking till now.”

              “Hm…” Feliciano pondered up at the ceiling. “ _Ja_. I’m fluent. But not enough to be a writer or anything fancy like that.” He turned his head back to his companion.

              He _was_ found alone in Germany, after all, Ludwig recalled. “How’s your head? How are you feeling?” Ludwig asked as a daily ritual now. He still found it hard to believe how fast Feliciano had healed from such an injury. It still left him wondering.

              “ _Va bene,_ I’m fine!” he chimed. Fixing the final button, he grabbed his coat and placed it on his shoulders.

              It was true, though. Feliciano certainly didn’t feel like he had been severely struck in the head a matter of days ago. The only proof that it had happened was his lack of memories and the current situation he was in. “I find it just as weird as you do, Ludwig.” His tone now seemed troubled as he spoke and placed a hand to where the wound used to be. “I looked at it myself at least a hundred times, but like you said, it was as if it had never been there.” He grasped his hair and frowned. “I remember the pain from when I woke up, but I don’t know when my head stopped hurting.” The two grew silent as they began to gather their things.

              “Ludwig?” Feliciano called out. Was he going to ask a serious question?

              “Yes?” He asked cautiously.

              “Can we go to the opera house over there?” his tone perked up out of nowhere, catching the other off guard. Ludwig turned his attention to his companion to confirm what he heard correctly.

              “Hm? You want to watch an opera?” He raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

              “We don’t uh… have to watch one if you don’t want to. I just want to see the inside of the building.” He explained with slight embarrassment. “It’s not weird, is it?”

              “Well… If you’re curious, then I don’t mind. Maybe you’ll remember something.”

“I’ll just take a look, maybe…” He suddenly lost his pensive expression and instantly perked up, remembering how empty his stomach was. “Oh yeah! We should go down to eat breakfast first!”

 

The process of getting breakfast was rather elaborate for Ludwig’s tastes, for he had never eaten breakfast at such a fancy hotel.

              Feliciano seemed to be handling the routine with ease until he realized how uncomfortable Ludwig appeared. He noticed the troubled expression on Ludwig’s face as he looked at the other hotel guests who wore fancier clothing and began to stare and whisper.

              Ludwig could hear the people around him talking about him and his companion. He definitely felt out of place, for how would he have known that something as trivial as breakfast had to be a formal event when it came to being around such wealth?

              “Ludwig, do you like pastries?” Feliciano asked his companion. It seemed as if he had taken him by surprise, for Ludwig’s eyes widened for a split second. “Do you think this would be enough for you?” He held up another plate full of pastries separate from his own.

              “Oh, I uh…” He recomposed himself and carefully took inventory of what Feliciano was holding. “Sure.”

              At that, Feliciano smiled. “Okay! Let’s go back to our room, then. The view of the city is a lot better up there anyway.” He saw a relieved look on Ludwig’s face and he too, felt better.

 

              Little did they know that the unsolicited attention didn’t come from just the guests.

 

As promised, the two arrived at the opera house.

              The opera house, however, was not open. With a sigh, Feliciano walked away and decided to explore the beautiful Austrian capital with his companion, tugging him along excitedly.

              After a while of being around a bubbly young man such as Feliciano, Ludwig’s mood began to lighten up.

              “So, Ludwig…” Feliciano perked up once more as he was finishing up the rest of his _apfelstrudel_. The two had stopped at a small café since they had been wandering the city all day. They enjoyed the late afternoon sitting at one of the tables outside. “What do you think of Vienna so far?” he gave out a smile so bright, that Ludwig felt the need to direct his focus to his emptied plate in front of him. He wondered if a smile could be infectious, for the word ‘giddy’ came to mind when he thought about how he felt.

              Ludwig contemplated their ventures in the Austrian city thus far, looking back and forth from his plate to his companion. He had been to Vienna before, but never to simply see the sights. The only time he went was when he was on duty as a soldier years ago. It was nice for a change to be able to wander around for themselves and take the time to be a part of the bustling city. “It’s not bad at all…” He said as he finished what was left in his cup. “I like it.” He admitted with nod and a small grin on his lips.

              Feliciano beamed at Ludwig, for he was able to work out at least a tiny smile from him again. “I’m so glad you are! It’s not easy playing tour guide in a place I’m trying to remember.” He let out a bit of a chuckle. He began to speak, but instead came out an awkwardly intonated question for his friend who had suddenly tensed up. “What’s wrong?” Feliciano asked, the tension getting to him as well.

              “We have to go.” Ludwig said under his breath as he kept his eyes trained on the busy crowd of people. He pulled some money out and placed it on the table. “We have to go right _now_.”

              “What is it?” Feliciano asked as he tried to find what could be troubling Ludwig, who had his eyes fixed on something in the crowd of people behind him.

              “I remember those men from before.” Ludwig said with a low voice. Maybe it was coincidence that they were here… or was it? There was no way that they should be able to track them down to Vienna. How would that even be possible?

              Feliciano’s heart dropped. “Are you sure…?” He asked quietly, doing his best to remain calm. Ludwig nodded in response and Feliciano’s breathing began to grow shallow.

              At that moment, Ludwig knew that he and Feliciano had to find a way out of there without being noticed. “Just stay calm and follow my lead.” Steadily getting up from his seat, he beckoned his companion to follow him and they took off at a brisk pace that Feliciano followed eagerly.

              Once they felt that they were quite far enough, the two stopped and let out a deep breath. They had found themselves in an alleyway, covered by the shade of the buildings.

              “Did they see us? Do you think we lost them?” Feliciano asked with a breathy voice. Ludwig could hear the anxiety in his voice rising. “I thought the robbery was a one-time thing. Do you think they followed us?  What could they possibly want?! Ludwig, I didn’t know this would happen! I’m so sorry…” He began to pace until Ludwig held out an arm to catch him.

              “No need to worry, Feliciano.” Ludwig said as he pulled him in front of him to look him in the eye. “It’s okay. What matters is that we weren’t discovered. We’re still safe.”

              The two made their way back to the hotel showered with the constant apologies from Feliciano.

 

“For the last time, I’m _not_ upset with you!”

              Ludwig was almost at his last straw. Feliciano kept apologizing about their interrupted tour of the city despite his constant reassurances that he did not blame him. Ludwig had been trying to plan out their route to Rome in the quickest, most strategic way possible while leaving room for compromises if something should go wrong during the intended route or something after those, but he could barely think up their initial travel route with Feliciano around, who wouldn’t stop interrupting his thought process.

              Feliciano’s pacing and ruminating was driving him up the wall. Feliciano began to ramble about other things in an attempt to keep himself from ruminating until Ludwig finally snapped.

              “Will you _please_ let me concentrate?!” At that moment, everything went still.

              “…Oh, sorry about that.” A small voice peeped as the life in his words died off. The sound of Feliciano falling on the bed resounded in their suite. Just as Ludwig had wished for, there was silence.

              With a sigh of relief, he began to plan their route at the desired efficiently.

              After a while, though, the silence began to feel uncomfortable. Taking a break and looking at his companion, Ludwig had found Feliciano asleep on the hotel bed which had been set rather neatly, but was now indented upon by his slender figure. _Was he just talking that much to keep himself from falling asleep?_ He wondered with a raised eyebrow.

              With a small sigh, Ludwig took a break from his planning and grabbed a blanket to put on his sleeping companion. He could sometimes be annoying when he was awake, but when he was asleep, there was an unfathomable kind of cuteness when he was curled up and relaxed on the bed as he was. Ludwig stood there for a moment, looking at Feliciano, wondering why he had a sudden urge to protect him from anything that may come their way… and also how soft his cheek would be if he touched it only for a second. He felt an ache in his chest as he caught his hand from reaching out.

              Something about Feliciano’s sleeping face caused a nostalgic feeling of longing that Ludwig hadn’t known existed within him.

              He returned to the desk and continued working in silence.

 

Ludwig awoke, unsure of what time it was.

              He had fallen asleep on the desk at some point, but he now had a map with the completed route he had been working on. As he began to lift himself, he realized there was a blanket on his shoulders. _How thoughtful…_ He folded the blanket and placed it on the table. Ludwig stood up from the seat feeling accomplished and stretched himself out, ready to explain the plan, relax a bit, and then go to bed. Turning around to see if Feliciano was still asleep, he instead found himself alone in the hotel room.

              “Feliciano?” He called out, wondering if he were maybe hiding. The lights in the bathroom were turned off and its door was wide open, so he couldn’t have been there. “I have our route set up. Where are you?” He said as he proceeded to check under the beds and behind the curtains. He called out for his name once again before looking into the bathroom.

              Feliciano had vanished without a word.

 

* * * * *

 

 Meanwhile, amber eyes were feasting upon the beautiful building that was the Vienna Opera House at night.

              Assuming Ludwig didn’t want to be disturbed after he fell asleep on the desk, Feliciano had taken off from the hotel without telling him. He had to try to get inside the opera house again, even if only for a moment.

              Feliciano looked up at the _Wiener Staasoper,_ which was magnificently lit against the darkened Vienna sky. Upon approaching it, he felt a sense of familiarity, as if he were meeting an old friend… If that friend were a building, which would be weird, but anyway… He shook the thought, trying to get a bit more serious.

              Getting closer to the opera house made Feliciano feel certain that he had actually been here before, and quite often. He continued to wonder about his history with such a place on his way to the entrance. There was nothing playing there at the moment and the doors were unfortunately locked, so he couldn’t just waltz right in like he hoped.

              Despite this, Feliciano could not and would not allow such things to stop him from sating his curiosity. Perhaps there was another way in? There could be a loosened window or a carelessly unlocked door that he could enter through. He would only be there for a little bit just to see if anything could jog his memory, he promised himself.

              He was kind of glad he went off by himself, for if Ludwig knew what he was about to do, he would probably have a heart attack.

              After a while of searching around the building for some kind of way inside, Feliciano had ended up at the performer’s entrance around the back. Leaning against the door and dragging himself down in disappointment, he had noticed something on the door that stood out. Right under the knobs of the luxurious wooden doors, a strangely shaped slot that appeared to be an extra keyhole had its presence made known to him. Around the opening was a triangular shape essentially similar to the triangular symbol placed on his concealed blades. The triangular symbol had different details to it, but it was definitely the same symbol.

              It was then that he knew what to do.

              With a slide and a click, a hidden blade protruded from his sleeve. He inserted the blade and turned it, making the door unlock just as he had hoped. A click of the lock and Feliciano was in. Before him was a large, extravagant parlor that lit up once he found the switch. Again, this place felt eerily familiar. Withdrawing his blade, he continued to look around in the extravagantly furnished room. Reaching the door across the room, he could faintly hear a piano being skillfully played in what he guessed was probably one of several rooms over.

              Feliciano opened the door to find a hall full of doors which were probably dressing rooms for the performers. His curiosity got the best of him and he looked into a few, finding them to be furnished similarly with some being larger than the others. The interior had some kind of red and golden scheme to it, almost as if this place were a palace.

              The music from the piano grew louder as Feliciano came closer and closer to the giant set of golden doors at the end of the hall. From the sound of it, the pianist was incredibly talented. Whoever it was, they played a slower, nostalgic-sounding piece. From the way the song was being played, he could tell that this person was playing to reminisce.

              Wondering whether or not he should enter, Feliciano kept his ear pressed to the large wooden door to listen. He closed his eyes and allowed the melody to take his mind away for a bit. He knew this song from before, he was certain of that. Its beautiful melody and glissandos made him feel like he was at a certain time in his life which he couldn’t remember.

              The memory that came to him was vague, but from what he could feel, it was of a brightly lit room. He felt safe. He felt the heat of the afternoon sun filter through tall windows. Someone was playing the piano. Perhaps it was this very song. Whatever this memory was, it left him with a feeling of contentment. He smiled and continued to listen intently.

              As the beautiful song gradually slowed down and came to a close, Feliciano opened his eyes and decided to open the door gently to see who was playing. Closing it behind him, he beheld the vast backstage of the opera house. Taking in the scenery before him, he almost didn’t notice the figure in the shadows taking its stance to lunge at him.

              “I don’t mean any harm, please don’t hurt me!” He yelped once he realized that someone was about to attack him.

              The figure stopped once his voice was heard. Before him was a taller, elegant man with short seal-brown hair that was neatly groomed with the exception of a certain set of strands that stood up together. He had a distinctive mole below the side of his lip and wore rectangular glasses along with a nicely tailored deep indigo coat that had detailed silver lining, which suggested the refinement of someone wealthy. He had stopped mid-flight and withdrew the blade protruding from the inside of his sleeve when he realized who he was about to attack. Standing there, he gaped at Feliciano with disbelief.

              “It’s you!” he finally spoke. Feliciano removed his arms from their defensive position and turned to look at the taller man before him. “Feliciano, it’s been years! I wasn’t sure if I would ever see you again!” He had a bit of an Austrian accent. Surprise and a hint of worry painted his words as he stepped closer. Realizing his unsightly outburst, he recomposed himself and looked questioningly at the young man. “Why did you come only now? And so suddenly!” Then his face suddenly showed that he realized something and frowned. “Did you just take a defensive position? I’d expect you to at least know how to parry.  Please tell me you’re armed to _some_ extent!” He crossed his arms, prompting him to answer.

              “H-Hello…” Feliciano stammered, surprised at this man’s reaction to him more than anything. From pulling a weapon on him, being happy to see him, and then to criticizing the way he defends himself, he now had a ton of questions. Without a doubt, this man knew him and seemed to know a lot of things that he needed to know himself. Upon realizing this, Feliciano grew excited. He faced the expectant man, looked him in the eyes and continued. “So you know who I am?” He asked with hope.

              This sent another wave of confusion upon the Austrian. His smooth voice rose a little in indignation. “What are you on about? Of course I know you, Feliciano.” His arms remained crossed. “Now will you stop fooling around and answer me?”

              “I-I’m sorry, but I don’t remember who you are!” He raised his hands in front of himself defensively.

              “Feliciano, what are you talking about?” He looked almost offended. “I know we haven’t been in contact since the war, but I highly doubt that you would forget—“

              “I’m sorry, but I’ve lost my memories!” He interjected, earning a pause led by an elegant gasp from the man whose violet eyes were wide with surprise.

              “You must be joking,” said the taller man. The look on his face was incredulous. The shorter man frowned and shook his head. “And here I simply thought the years had softened you…” His expression fell and he seemed genuinely concerned. The elegant man took a few cautious steps towards Feliciano and placed a sympathetic arm around his shoulder, leading him away from where they were. “Tell me, how did this happen to you, Feliciano? And how did you get here?”

              “I was in Germany and I got struck in the head while I was being robbed.” He motioned to the side of his head where the injury had been. “I’m sorry, but will you please tell me who you are?” He asked politely. “And maybe about who I am, since you seem to know me?”

              “Oh right, my apologies. My name is Roderich Edelstein.” He said as he stopped for a moment, slightly still in disbelief. He stopped to raise his arm and pull on his sleeve, exposing an elegantly engraved piece of metal on a leather arm brace. It was different in design, but similar to Feliciano’s brace in structure. “And I was your mentor.”

 

The two were now seated in a private parlor decorated not with instruments and paintings, but with weapons and tapestries on the wall containing the same familiar triangular symbol with slight variations in the details of the design.

              Feliciano had followed Roderich through the secret passageways that could only be accessed with the blades used as a key. The elegant man had explained that the opera house was secretly an operating base and that the hidden blades are all made in a certain shape to be a universal key, so it was only natural that Feliciano would be able to make his way inside the opera house. In turn, Feliciano explained his travels as far as he remembered.

              “Let me reiterate, please.” Roderich said to Feliciano as he lowered his cup of tea. “The first thing you clearly remember is waking up in an inn after being assisted by a stranger who claims to have met you the day before when you were hit in the head while being robbed, and now you are making a journey to Rome with said stranger to meet with your brother and find out who you are?” He sounded like he was still having a hard time believing it. Feliciano nodded in confirmation.

              After more questioning from Roderich, Feliciano had revealed Lovino’s letter, the fact that he was in Germany to get something, and the mysterious disappearance of his head injury.

              Responding with a remorseful sigh, Roderich stared into his almost empty cup of tea and looked back up at Feliciano with a glint of pity in his eyes. “Feliciano, after all the years that I have known you, this is certainly one of your largest bouts of misfortune.” That sentence caused a puzzled look upon the younger man’s face. “Anyway,” he dismissed the thought with a quick shake of his head, “I’m not sure of your brother’s whereabouts, but I can definitely send a message to Rome for you. Also, I’ll tell you of our past together, if it will help you remember.”

              “Thank you so much, Mr. Edelstein!”

              Roderich seemed taken aback that Feliciano used his surname. “Please, ‘Roderich’ is fine. We are equals now.”

              “Okay, Roderich!” Feliciano smiled, quite eager to hear about his identity. “So who am I? Am I a soldier? Some kind of adventurer? He hesitated at his last guess, “Or maybe a criminal?” The man sitting across from him on the plush couch maintained a composed expression as he held the answer in his eyes.

              “You _could_ be called those things, but in truth, you are neither.” The serious expression on his face was making him anxious. “But for a start, I know for certain that whatever happened to you in Germany was not a robbery.”

              “How do you know?”

              “You weren’t being robbed, you were being hunted.”

              Feliciano paled.

              With that, they began their long conversation and Feliciano could feel his forgotten past slowly come to light.

 

Feliciano arrived to the hotel room and was greeted with nothing but silent darkness.

              Ludwig was nowhere to be found. _Maybe he went out for a little bit,_ he thought. _Staying at that desk for as long as he did would definitely wear anyone out._ Turning the lights on, Feliciano scanned the room for his bag which was in the corner where he left it. He checked outside the windows, looking at the opera house once more before closing the curtains.

              Sitting down on his bed, he set his backpack down and dug out the mysterious box. Feeling a little nervous, he took a deep breath and began to unwrap it.

              After a few yards of cloth, Feliciano had the wooden box sitting in front of him, ready to open.

              _‘The truth can be a very destructive thing, Feliciano. Be sure that you want this.’_ He remembered the words of his mentor. Roderich may have wanted nothing to do with magical artifacts, but Feliciano was determined.

              “Here it goes,” he whispered to himself. Feliciano opened the wooden box to behold a golden ankh that had a light glow to it. It was definitely some kind of ancient Egyptian artifact, so he took extra caution and held the box that contained it in his hands gingerly. _So this is what a piece of Eden looks like?_ He wondered, recalling a tiny bit of Roderich’s brief explanation. Putting that thought aside, Feliciano reached into the box.

 

Ludwig had double-checked all of the area nearby their hotel until the clock struck an ungodly hour.

              He had grown worried after Feliciano didn’t come back for a nerve-racking amount of time and decided to go around the area to search for him, though his efforts turned out to be in vain. Ludwig had felt off without his bubbly presence, realizing how vast and almost… _lonely_ the city felt without him.

The opera house across the street that Feliciano had been raving about was closed, so he definitely wouldn’t be there. Ludwig had even gone over and checked it himself just to make sure. _Where could that idiot have gone?_ Looking at the time, the worried young man decided to call it a night. He hoped to any higher power that nothing bad happened to Feliciano. The mere thought of the possibilities made him even more anxious, but he held hope that Feliciano would be there when he came back.

 

Ludwig returned to the hotel room to find light peeking through the bottom of the door.

              His hope escalated as he entered the room to find a certain young man with a certain curl protruding out of the left side of his head sitting on the bed with his back faced to him.

              “Feliciano!” Ludwig exclaimed. All of his discontent and worry was shed from his conscience as he made his way across the room. As he got closer, he could see that Feliciano was curled up with his forehead resting on his knees. “I’ve been looking all over for you! Where did you go?” As he approached him, he began to realize something was off.

              Feliciano slowly turned his head to face him, and Ludwig was startled by what he saw. The light in his eyes was gone. Something within him had broken. The second they made eye contact, Feliciano immediately looked back down. He stared at the floor in front of himself as if he were ashamed. “Ludwig, I’m so sorry for causing you so much trouble…”His voice was hoarse. There was no doubt about it now: he had been crying.

              “If it’s about earlier, I’m sorry that I raised my voice—“

              “It’s not that, not at all…” He shook his head fiercely as he spoke. “That was also my fault.” His eyes looked back to his companion for a brief second before he continued. “You know, Ludwig… There’s something I don’t understand.”

              Ludwig had never seen Feliciano so full of despair. He didn’t think that such a cheerful person was even capable of being in such a state. “…What don’t you understand?”

              “I don’t understand why you would go out of your way to help a stranger like me for this long…” He gripped the fabric of his pants tighter. “I already know I’m annoying and I’m nothing but trouble. I mean, I’ve been thinking and I feel like there’s no reason for you to even like me.” His voice softened, as if getting the words out felt like being pierced by a knife. “Ludwig, you’re too kind… It’s going to get you hurt in the end, you know?” Feliciano looked up to Ludwig with tears welling in his eyes. His voice was almost a whisper. “It’s not safe for you to stay with me. You should just forget about me and leave.”

              Although his words were delivered softly, Ludwig knew that Feliciano meant what he said. Although he knew that he meant well, those words of his managed sting. He stood there in silence as his companion returned his forehead to his knees, almost as if he were trying to hide himself away. “Please don’t look at me, I’m such a mess right now…” His muffled request was not fulfilled. Instead, Ludwig sighed and sat down next to him. He was no expert at comforting people, but dammit, he was going to try.

              “Feliciano…?” Staring at the floor in front of them, Ludwig spoke much softer in comparison to his normal, naturally stern voice. “So that’s what you’re thinking?” He looked over to Feliciano now. “There is _no way_ I’m abandoning you, especially after all we’ve been through together.” He took in a deep breath and continued. “Also, I never found the appropriate time to tell you this, but you definitely deserve to know.” His companion who was still curled up now looked up at him with tearful, questioning eyes. “I understand what it’s like to be in your situation… To have lost a lot of important memories, that is.” They were now directly looking at each other.

              Disbelief filled Feliciano’s expression as he searched into Ludwig’s eyes.  “What…?” He wasn’t sure about what he had just heard. “What do you mean?”

              “Do you remember how I told you that the military is all that I’ve known?” Feliciano nodded. “I really meant that.” Looking back at the wall before them as if it contained images of his past, he began to speak after a moment. “When I was a soldier in the war, I was wounded so badly that they thought I was going to die. I held on and stayed in a coma for a while. The medics joked that I was hanging on as if I had someone waiting for me back at home.” A tiny smile cracked on his lips for a brief second. “When I woke up, I had a huge gap in my memory spanning at least the last few years till then. The whole situation was quite a shock, as you would probably know.” He looked to Feliciano, who briefly nodded. “My brother heard the news and dropped everything to take care of me, but had to leave as soon as I was recovered.  I haven’t seen him since.” He looked back to Feliciano. “So I have some idea about what you’re going through, and I want to help you. It’s not easy to do it alone. Also, I _do_ care about you and… your well-being…” A light shade of pink flushed on his cheeks as he took a quick glance to the floor. “Also, of course I like you. You’re my… _friend_ , so I’m not just going to abandon you because we ran into someone twice. If we run into those people again, I know how to fight and you know how to run, so we could definitely figure something out, right?” Ludwig’s cheeks were flushed. He hoped that what he said had made some sense as to why he wanted to stay.

              Feliciano’s expression visibly softened. A tiny smile played at the corners of Feliciano’s mouth and he gave a little nod. Seeing Feliciano smile gave him a sudden awareness of the tightness he felt in his chest. They both looked to the floor. A brief moment passed until an almost incoherent “thank you” escaped from Feliciano’s lips. He put his legs down and closed the gap between them so that he could silently hug his friend without reservation.

              A warm feeling overtook Ludwig from within as he put his arms around Feliciano. He could feel both of their hearts racing as they embraced. It was… _nice,_ although he was still unfamiliar with this extended occupation of his personal space. _So this is how friendship is supposed to be?_ He pondered to himself as the moment fleeted. Whatever this was, though, it definitely felt nice. In fact, it felt _really_ nice.

Ludwig figured that now wasn’t the time to ask Feliciano where he had been all this time. They stayed that way for a while until Feliciano recollected himself. After they let go, they prepared for bed and Ludwig even allowed his _friend_ to crawl in next to him without any fuss.

 

              As soon as the two were settled in, it had dawned on Ludwig that he still felt uneasy with someone sleeping so close to him. On the other hand, Feliciano was already curled up into him and was seemingly dozing off as the storm of conflict thundered in his usually organized mind. He realized then that revealing such delicate information to Feliciano tonight had felt like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. How strange it was for him, of all people to find someone he could easily share his burdens with! He didn’t want to admit it to himself, but it excited him a little.

              However, he was still not used to being so close to another person at night. But Feliciano needed him right now, so who was he to deny him this comfort? Ludwig adjusted himself carefully so that he was comfortable and closed his eyes, hoping exhaustion would surpass the awkwardness he felt.

              Even so, how could anyone sleep like this?

 

A while later, Feliciano opened his eyes in the darkness as he listened to the rhythmic breathing of Ludwig who was now sleeping beside him.

              He had hoped his exhaustion would take over and let him fall asleep again, but he shortly realized that that wasn’t going to be an option.

              He remembered _everything_ , and when he closed his eyes just long enough, he would be brought back into the past.  He could see his memories as clearly as if they were happening right then and there, he could feel exactly what he felt. 

              So _this_ was the price of remembering.

              The effect of regaining all his memories took a toll on him and the only thing keeping him from breaking down once more was the comfort of Ludwig’s warm presence and the reassuring words he had told him. At least this time, he didn’t feel alone.

              Even so, how could anyone sleep like this?

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to shift this fic into... MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE!!!!


	4. A Familiar Melody

At some point during the night, Feliciano had managed to attach himself to his robust friend.

              This was made known as Ludwig was attempting to gently pry him off in the morning. Feliciano’s grip was awfully strong for someone with such a tiny frame in comparison.

              “So, what happened last night? Where did you go?” Ludwig asked as they ate breakfast. Feliciano stopped chewing as he formulated his response.

              “I went for a little walk.” He sleepily said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. It made sense, though.

              “For more than three hours?” Ludwig’s brows furrowed. Feliciano’s definition of “little” was quite an understatement.

              “I uh… lost track of time and got a little lost.” He replied with a shrug and began to dig into his food once more and continued, “I’m sorry for being such a crybaby last night. I just remembered a bunch of things. A lot of them aren’t too happy.” He said apologetically.

              Ludwig replied after swallowing his food. “That’s understandable, so there’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m just glad you’re safe. But could you let me know if you go out by yourself next time?” Feliciano could hear the concern in his voice and he couldn’t help but smile.

              “Yes, captain!” Feliciano replied cheerfully with a salute. “You were busy last night and I didn’t want to disturb you, that’s all.” He unhurriedly took another bite. “So you made a plan, right?”

              “Yes, I did.”

              He yawned. “What is it, exactly?” After Ludwig’s thoroughly thought out route was presented, Feliciano looked a bit pensive.

              “What’s wrong?” He asked his friend as he folded up the map.

              “N-nothing,” he stammered. “I was… just wondering if we could stay here a little longer.”

              Ludwig tilted his head, “You’re not in a rush to go home? Also, those people who attacked you might still be in the city, so I think we should leave as soon as we can.” At that, Feliciano’s hand rolled down from his jaw in disappointment.

              “…When does the latest train come?”

              “Later than we should be leaving.”

              “Aw,” he frowned. “I just want to spend a little more time here! Just a little! It wouldn’t hurt, would it? This is a huge city and we could easily avoid one group of people if we need to.” Feliciano was relentless. After several minutes of reasoning, he had somehow managed to convince Ludwig to stay for just a few hours at least—on the condition that they would take the next train towards Italy the moment they encounter some potential trouble. With an excited cheer from Feliciano, the two headed out to explore Vienna.

 

A few hours into their tour of the city, Feliciano stopped and held onto Ludwig’s coat.

              “Ludwig?”

              “What is it?” He calmly replied until he noticed how tightly Feliciano gripped his sleeve. Something was wrong. He in turn began to scan the crowd of bustling people for any signs of a threat.

              “I think we’re—“ Feliciano stopped mid-sentence as he saw something on the rooftop. He grabbed Ludwig’s hand and began to tug him in the direction he was going. Ludwig looked up and saw nothing. Brisk walking almost turned into running as they darted through the crowd, trying to get as far away as possible.

              After a considerably exhausting bout of running, Feliciano had led Ludwig to an alleyway in one of the corners of the city. “Hopefully we’ve lost them now!” Feliciano finally said, sounding a little out of breath. Ludwig leaned against the wall, feeling a little winded himself.

              “What was that about? Did something happen?” He asked, panting a bit as well.

              “I think we were being watched.” He explained apologetically.

              Ludwig sighed. “I told you we should have left sooner.” His ever present frown deepened in worry.

              “I’m sorry, Ludwig… I’m not sure if we really were, but something felt off.” Feliciano’s shoulders slumped down as he slowly released his friend’s hand. “Maybe we should just find our way to the train station now.” He said dejectedly. “At least we got to see more of the city,” he offered with a shrug.

              “I guess so.” Ludwig’s expression lightened up a bit as he looked into Feliciano’s amber eyes that had a slight smile in them as well. “Let’s go, Ludwig.” With that, they began to look for a way that led back to the main area of the city.

              All the while, Feliciano stared at Ludwig’s hand slightly swinging as he walked. A feeling of longing crept up on him for a brief moment.

              “Wait…”

              The moment was interrupted with the passing of a large shadow from above. Feliciano knew that it was the same from before. The two tensed up and looked around. There wasn’t another soul to be seen. Feliciano moved closer to Ludwig and whispered, “They’re here... somewhere.” 

              “We know you’re here. Come out or I’ll shoot!” Ludwig threatened as he reached for his pistol.

              “You boys have really sharp senses if you could find me out so quickly.” An amused woman’s voice with a Hungarian accent came from above the roof nearby. “No need to worry, I just wanted to make sure it was you,” the voice casually explained.

              “Is that—” Feliciano recognized this lovely voice. They heard her stepping on the tiles of the roof above and heard her climb her way down another side of the building.

              Out from the shadows emerged a beautiful woman with pale brown hair that was done up in a braided bun. She had an embroidered white blouse under a deep indigo vest and an embellished leather belt around her waist. Long brown boots covered over light gray pants and she wore an olive-colored knee-length coat with a hood—similar to his own. Her piercing eyes that were the color of peridot held a strong, confident gaze.

              “Feliciano!” a delighted look was on the woman’s face in recognition of him. “It really _is_ you! It’s been such a long time! Where have you been?” Relief was in her voice as she ran over to embrace the young man.

 _Couldn’t she just have come up to us instead of doing all of that?_ Ludwig wondered about Feliciano and this woman’s excessive tendencies. The woman then looked over to him. “And who is your friend?” She released Feliciano from her deathly strong grip to examine the blond who was standing there examining her cautiously.

              “Miss Elizabeta!” A smile was in his voice, “This is Ludwig!” An elegant brow raised as the lady examined Ludwig even closer now. “We’re traveling together.” Her expression grew even more curious.

              “Say, you look kind of familiar... We haven’t met before, have we?” She asked at an uncomfortably close distance to Ludwig, looking him up and down. Feliciano tilted his head as he thought about her question.

              “As far as I know, I don’t think we’ve met.” He stepped back. That caused a curious frown on her face and she stepped back as well.

              “If you say so. Anyway, nice to meet you, Ludwig!” She smiled and shook his hand with an impressively tight grip. “You can just call me Elizabeta.” She turned to Feliciano’s direction. “And that still goes for you too, young man!” She ruffled his auburn hair and he chuckled. “So, what brings you two here?” She grinned as she stepped back and placed her hands on her hips.

              “We were just passing through.” Feliciano said as he retreated to Ludwig’s side and reassuringly held the sleeve of his jacket. They could both tell that Elizabeta took notice.

              “Did you visit my snooty husband yet?” She asked with a playful tone of voice. At that moment, Ludwig couldn’t fathom why that question brought a tinge of relief within him.

              Feliciano, on the other hand, had his heart leap in his chest. “ _S_ _ì_ _, s_ _ì_ _!_ I ran into him last night when I was taking a walk.” Feliciano said, causing Ludwig to look at him curiously. “Anyway, I’m glad to see you after all this time! We’re going to Rome today and we don’t want to be late for our train.” He began to step away from Elizabeta before she could continue the conversation, causing a curious look on her face.

              “You're leaving so soon? Alright, then. I hope to see you around, Feli!” They embraced one last time and she took off. With that, they parted ways.

 

              “Who was that?” Ludwig asked as they approached the train station.

              “An old friend of mine. She uh… took care of me when I was younger.” He explained. Feliciano was still holding his sleeve. “We both used to live here in Austria for a while.”

              “I see. And her husband is the person you ran into last night?”

              “ _Vero!_ ”

              “And that friend of yours helped you recover some of your memories?”

              “Yeah, you can say that…” The ambiguity of his reply Left Ludwig curious. “Anyway, let’s get to the train station!” Feliciano let go and walked forward with a little bounce in his step while he smoothly navigated through the Austrian capital.

 

“Roderich, I ran into Feliciano earlier!”

              Roderich stopped playing the piano as his wife walked into the room. “I heard that you talked with him last night.”

              “Yes, that is true.” He stood up to meet Elizabeta halfway and they embraced. The couple shared a brief kiss before concern swept over both of their faces.

              “I wonder why he’s chosen to come around only now.” She placed a note into her husband’s palm. “Also, he was leaving in a rush with a friend and he slipped me this note addressed to you.”

Curious at her reaction, Roderich opened the tiny piece of paper and sighed as soon as he finished reading it.

 

              ‘ _The Templars are tailing me,_ _and I'm taking the ankh to Rome. Grazie, insegnante._

_-Feliciano V.’_

              “Last night he came to me claiming to have no memories.” At that, Elizabeta tilted her head in confusion.

              “What do you mean by that?! He seemed a little… different, but he definitely remembered me when I talked to him earlier.” Elizabeta crossed her arms, trying to recount their interaction from earlier.

              Roderich sat her down, showed her the note, then revealed the events of the previous night.

 “I see…” Elizabeta looked contemplative as she took in all of the information. “I know he can take care of himself, but I’m still worried about him, Roderich.”

              “As am I.”

 

_“For the tenth time, please stop crying!!!”_

_Sobs had resounded throughout the mansion for a while now. An eighteen year-old Roderich Edelstein had his hands on the shoulders of a young Feliciano and was slightly shaking the boy who had been crying since he had arrived a few hours ago. “What will it take for you to stop crying, Feliciano?!”_

_“I want to go home!” The young boy wailed once more. “I want my brother!” The rest of the words that escaped his quivering lips became incoherent as they simply turned into whimpers._

_“You and I both know that can’t happen.” He said as he let go. “Lovino should be in Spain by now with the Fernández family. We are under direct orders from your grandfather to take you in, so it can’t be helped.”_

_“Where’s my nonno? Do you know?” His whimpering only stopped for a moment. “H-he said he would come back soon, but it’s been so long!” Roderich frowned._

_“Nobody knows. We haven’t heard from him in months. Considering the current state of the war, I’m almost certain he’s not coming back.” His response only made Feliciano cry even harder. Before he could do anything else, a door behind them was aggressively opened._

_“Roderich, what do you think you’re doing?! That’s not how you talk to someone who’s crying!” A girl who appeared close to Roderich’s age walked in with a gait that suggested indignation. She was clad in a white button down shirt and dirtied grey trousers.  Mud was tracked onto the marble floor with her brown leather boots.  If it weren’t for her long light brown hair that was braided up in a ponytail, she could have easily passed as a boy._

_“Elizabeta, where did you come fro—“ Roderich was cut off as she made her way over and to his side. “Elizabeta, you’re tracking mud—“_

_“Hello, there! What’s your name?” The girl leaned over and tucked her hands onto her thighs to talk to the young girl._

_“F-Feliciano,” he sniffled after he calmed down a bit. “P-piacere.”_

_“Feliciano? Wait, you’re a boy?” He nodded in response. ”Then how come you’re wearing a dress?” The young boy’s delicate features had certainly fooled Elizabeta for a moment._

_“…Nonno told us it was safer for us to dress as girls whenever we go outside. That way, if we’re seen by soldiers, they won’t try to hurt us_ _. ‘Hide in plain sight,’ he would say.”_

_“Wow, that’s very smart of your nonno! So you’re from Italy, then?” He nodded once more. She stood up straight and grabbed his hand to shake it. Her grip was firm, despite the apparent softness of her heart. “Nice to meet you! My name is Elizabeta Héderváry and I’m from Hungary! Were you sent here by your parents too?”_

_“No. My nonno took care of us, but he left and took too long to come back… Th-then some people saying they knew him told the servants to go into hiding and took me and Lovino away...” He sniffled. A sympathetic look was on the young teenager’s face and she looked to Roderich for an explanation._

_Roderich nodded in confirmation. “He just got here a little over an hour ago. He’s the younger of the two grandsons. His older brother is with the_ _Fernández family.” Elizabeta grew even more interested as she looked back to the younger boy._

_“So he’s the grandson of that man?” She asked Roderich and then looked back to Feliciano in adoration. “Wow, you’re so adorable! I can kind of see the resemblance.” She turned to Roderich with a frown. “Did they really have to separate the brothers? That’s awful!”_

_“That’s not up to me, unfortunately.” Roderich replied with a bit of a frown and crossed arms._

_Elizabeta gently wiped a tear from the crying boy’s cheek. “There there,_ _édesem_ _. I will watch out for you.” The girl’s voice was sweet like nutmeg; her smile made him feel an ache for his mother._

_“Feliciano is one of the master’s only next of kin and he has been entrusted to us. Considering the state of the war right now, we’ll have to teach him—“_

_“Enough gloominess, Roderich, let’s worry about that later! I’m sure he’s tired from being with you.” Not giving time for Roderich to be offended, she looked to the boy. “You know, I’ve been training all morning, so I’m kind of tired. Would you like to take a nap with me, Feliciano? They always make me feel better, so maybe it’ll help you too.” Feliciano hesitated for a moment, but nodded and she readily took his hand. “Let’s go!” She said, as she led him away from the parlor, leaving Roderich standing there with his arms crossed._

_The two decided to settle on a comfortable-looking plush couch a few rooms over. Elizabeta had taken off her dirty boots and kicked them to the side of the room. The two got into a comfortable position with Elizabeta holding onto the boy as his sniffles slowly disappeared._

_“So you’re stuck here like I am, huh?” She smiled with a tinge of sadness._

_“How long do we have to stay here,” he adjusted himself so that he could see her face better, “in this house?”_

_“Hm.” She pondered to the high, decorative ceiling. “Well, the adults in our families are uh,” she looked to him cautiously, “... not here to take care of us anymore, so I think this place is our home until we grow up. At least it’s pretty, I guess.” Elizabeta shrugged._

_“Then I want to grow up fast so I can see my brother and my nonno again.” He pouted._

_Elizabeta smiled at that. “You seem to really love them, huh? Tell me, what are they like?”_

_“Sì! My big brother Lovino looks just like me, but he has darker hair and he’s always grumpy. He talks kind of mean sometimes, but it’s okay because he takes care of me. And my nonno is very kind and strong. He tells us lots and lots of stories about when he was younger!” He replied, gesticulating along with his descriptions._

_“I hope you hold on to those memories of them,” Elizabeta looked off into an empty space to imagine these beloved people of her new friend. “You know, Feliciano, you’re really lucky…” she said as the bit of sadness in her expression deepened. “I don’t even remember my parents’ faces.”_

_“Oh…”_

_“Anyway, would you like me to sing you a song? It helps me fall asleep when I’m sad.”_

_“Y-yes, please.”_

_“Alright, here we go.” With that, Elizabeta began to sing._

 

Feliciano awoke with a gentle nudge on his shoulder.

              “Are you okay?” A deep voice filled his ears. It took him a few seconds to process the concerned message.

_Who did that voice belong to again?_

              “Hey,” Another nudge.

              “Hm?” Before he knew it, a tear rolled down his cheek. For a moment, he couldn’t tell which scene before his eyes was real. Was he in the parlor dozing off? Or was he in the train with this intrusive voice?  Whose warmth was he really feeling? Whether or not he closed his eyes, both places seemed just as real to him.

              “Feliciano?”

The voice jolted him back into reality and Feliciano fully opened his eyes. It was the train. The train was the real one. His eyes now completely focused on the person beside him.

              It was Ludwig. His brows were furrowed again, but deeper than usual this time. What could be the problem? Before Feliciano could find out what distressed his friend, a rough thumb gently wiped something off of his cheek. “Eh?” Finally focused after that, he had a better grasp of what was truly happening.

              “Ah, sorry if I surprised you.” Ludwig’s widened eyes were directed at his thumb after he realized what he had impulsively done. ”You were stirring in your sleep. There was a uh…” Ludwig indicated the tear and wiped it on his pants. Feliciano realized he had fallen asleep again without knowing.

              “Don’t worry, Ludwig! I’m okay. Everything’s okay.” He smiled and sat up to reassure his friend. “It was just a dream.”

               “If you say so.” Feliciano leaned his head back on his friend’s shoulder and looked out at the speedily passing scenery. Ludwig saw that distant look in his friend’s eyes again from the reflection of the window. “Where are we now?”

              “We’ll be at the next stop in about half an hour.” He responded promptly. That made Feliciano smile and take a deep breath as he got comfortable on his friend’s shoulder once more. He inhaled and unconsciously took in Ludwig’s scent, which he found rather comforting. Musk and leather with a hint of something sweet.

              “Thank you, Ludwig. You’re so reliable.” Feliciano adjusted himself a little more and sighed. Carefully, he began to tuck his arm under Ludwig’s and grip onto the fabric of his sleeve.

              Ludwig stiffened up again, but this time, he barely paid mind to the significance of this action. He found himself more distracted by the notion that he caught on that Feliciano wasn’t just thanking him for telling him how much time they had left on the train. It worried him whenever he acted as subdued as he did at the moment. Ever since that night in Vienna, Ludwig had noticed that Feliciano had less energy than before and would sometimes act uncharacteristically strange.

              And it wasn’t the kind of strangeness that he usually displayed throughout the day as his typical carefree self. He had never shown such a pained, tearful expression since that night, but there were rare moments of silence when Feliciano would simply stare out into space with an unfathomable expression while holding on to him tightly, as if he were trying not to get swept away by something. Of course, this left Ludwig curious, but whenever he would ask about what troubled him, Feliciano would snap back and act as if nothing was bothering him.

              For someone who talked a lot, Feliciano did not say much.

 

Ludwig awoke, suddenly feeling cold.

              It felt as if someone was lifting the covers. He opened his eyes and found Feliciano climbing into bed with him again for the third time. “Again?!” He was exasperated at this point due to lack of sleep and exhaustion from the long hours on the train. His outburst earned a surprised yelp from his companion who was now only clad in underwear and an unbuttoned collared shirt. Before he could finish his next sentence, Feliciano had already established a place in the bed next to him.  “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but—“

              “I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable, Ludwig.” Feliciano’s voice unexpectedly lacked the shrillness it usually had when Ludwig’s patience was pushed too far. Instead, he sounded like he meant it. “If you really don’t want me here, I won’t push it. I kind of noticed that you couldn’t sleep. At first I thought it was because I was annoying, but…” His sentence trailed off as he gently raised a hand to Ludwig’s face. On instinct, Ludwig flinched and pulled away.

              “Do you think I’ll hurt you, Ludwig?” Feliciano asked matter-of-factly as he retracted his hand. Ludwig felt his gaze on him as he stared down at his own hands.

              “No, it’s not that, it’s…” He sighed and brushed his hair back. “I just… I don’t know how to put it.”

              “Such a strong person and yet you flinch when I try to touch you…” he said quietly to himself with a pensive frown. “ _Che triste…”_

              Ludwig barely heard his last remark and wasn’t given enough time to think about it because the next thing he knew, Feliciano began to reach out again. This time, he reached past Ludwig and dug his hand under the pillow behind him.

               “What are you—“ Before he could finish his question, a black pistol was in Feliciano’s slender hand.

              “ _Scusa_ ,” he said before he began to mutter to himself in Italian as he casually examined the gun.

              “Hey, put that down!”

              The only response to Ludwig’s demand was the sound of the magazine being removed and then the weapon itself being disassembled.

              “Why did you—“

              “This is such an unsightly thing to have with you at night. No wonder why you can’t sleep.” Feliciano carefully put the pieces down on the side table. Hands were placed on the mattress and pillow, examining them. “Also, the mattress and pillows aren’t comfy enough, but I guess they’ll have to do.” Ludwig sat there watching in astonishment as his friend began to casually adjust himself next to him. “It’ll probably help if we keep staying at comfier places instead of inns so you can sleep better. I have more than enough money for that.” He said thoughtfully.

              “Wait a second, I need the gun!”

              “For what? Shoving it to my forehead again?” Feliciano’s lips formed a pout and his words made Ludwig shrink back out of guilt. “I don’t think you really need a pistol to go to sleep.”

              “What if we’re attacked in the middle of the night?” He said indignantly. _Is he trying to get us killed?!_ Ludwig was beginning to feel a little anxious and he looked to the window.

              “This is the highest floor; I doubt they’re going to randomly look through our only, curtained window.” Feliciano said confidently, which commanded his attention once more. “Who’s to say they were even following us? There’s no way they could even know where we are right now. Besides,” He said as he adjusted himself. “The only one attacking in the middle of the night so far is you.” Feliciano snickered as Ludwig began to feel guilty about the time he pulled a gun on him for trying to sneak under the covers with him.

              “…Sorry about that.”

              “It’s fine, Ludwig. I knew you wouldn’t shoot me anyway.” He smiled. “And if anything should happen to us, I promise I’ll protect you this time, okay?”

              This left Ludwig speechless. He wasn’t sure about how well Feliciano would be able to fend anyone off, but the fact that he had honestly promised to protect him made him feel warm inside. His cheeks flushed as he realized how strange this was for him to feel… _relieved_ that someone made the personal decision to risk themself for him.

              “Do you mind scooting over a little bit?” Feliciano asked as he got closer.

              “Wh—“ Ludwig’s protests were ignored, so finally gave in. “Nevermind.”

              “Say, Ludwig…” Feliciano had settled himself under the sheets. “You’re not afraid of me, are you?” A gentle smile was on his face as he laid his head on the other pillow. His eyes searched him for an answer.

              “What? Of course not!” he responded. “Why would I be?”

              “Hm…” His lips fell into a slight frown again. He reached out for Ludwig again, but he flinched once more. “Then, are you afraid of people touching you?” There was no hint of any ill-intention or mockery in his words. However, they struck at Ludwig and got him to think.

              “I…” Ludwig gripped the sheet and settled under the covers, only this time, his back was to his bedmate. “I don’t think so.”

              “Then is it because you don’t feel safe when someone gets this close to you?” Ludwig was silent for a moment as he thought about why.

              He realized that Feliciano wasn’t the one keeping him from sleeping.

              “…Maybe.” Ludwig frowned. It was now that he realized he was more comfortable being alone because it felt _safer_. Safety to him had meant keeping a good distance from others. Never had he thought that being close to someone at a vulnerable time like sleeping could also be considered something ‘safe.’

              In a softer voice, he responded, “I know I literally dropped into your life and it’s understandable to not trust me but you can, Ludwig. Just know I’d never want to hurt you, so you can feel safe when you’re with me.” Feliciano gently smiled as he spoke. “I always feel safe with _you_.”

              “…Thank you.” Ludwig didn’t know what else to say, for his thoughts began to scramble. Never had anyone told him that they felt _safe_ with him. All he had known was order, fighting and surviving, so the thought of being seen as someone ‘safe’ felt… different.

              It was a good ‘different,’ and he liked that.

              In fact, he liked Feliciano. He realized that he liked him quite a lot, actually. Never in his lifetime would he have imagined someone besides a family member showing such a pure, mutual feeling of protectiveness. Ludwig had always been the one that others relied on, but now he had someone to rely on too.

              Not only that, but over the course of their time together, Ludwig had found himself slowly opening up to Feliciano. He felt like he could tell him anything and he would respond with interest and without judgement. He never really thought about these growing feelings, but if this is what safety was, then Feliciano was someone safe. He was someone Ludwig wanted to protect, and not just because it would be the right thing to do. He wanted him to be happy, to be safe, and maybe even to hold—

              “You know what I think?” Feliciano’s voice gently broke the silence. “When things get really tough, I think it’s quite a blessing to have someone be there for you at the end of the day. Don’t you?” Again, his words stuck with Ludwig as he lay there with his hand resting near his cheek, more relaxed than earlier.

              Without warning, the darkened room was filled with the sound of Feliciano softly humming a beautiful melody. His voice calmed the atmosphere, causing Ludwig to relax himself more.

              “What were you humming?” He had waited for him to stop before he asked.

              “A lullaby.” He smiled once more. “Do you remember Miss Elizabeta? She would sing that to us—to _me_ while we lived in Austria. It’s my one of my favorite songs even though I don’t remember the words.”

              “…Is that so…” Ludwig recalled the peculiar woman who they had met the day they left Vienna. Upon recollection, he noticed that she treated him as if she were his older sister. It made him wonder what it was like to have someone like that in his life.

              “Do you like it?” Feliciano leaned in closer to catch his bedmate’s attention. Ludwig turned over and found their faces to be a little too close for comfort. He quickly turned his head away, thankful that the dark had concealed the red of the rising heat in his cheeks.

              “Yeah.” His response put a wider smile on Feliciano’s face. He continued to hum the beautiful lullaby in the darkness of the bedroom. His voice sounded comforting, comforting enough to calm Ludwig as he took a deep breath and enjoyed the lilting notes of the simple melody.

              And for some unfathomable reason, the lullaby had filled him with a profound sense of longing as he finally drifted off to sleep.

 

_The sound of thunder roared from the night sky._

_A door carefully opened._

_A tiny, nervous voice.  What is it saying?_

_“…don’t you?” the tiny voice asked._

_A familiar melody._

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two bros chillin in a hotel bed, reflecting on insecurities cuz they ARE gay
> 
> Also, Elizabeta's outfit is based on Evie Frye's outfits. Specifically this one:  
> ( https://cdn3.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/509/987/large/stephanie-chafe-acs-eviemilitary-ig-front.jpg?1447714860 )  
> Their outfits all have that shirt, vest, long coat, pants, belts, and leather boot thing going on, but fit to their personal preferences and personalities. They definitely look less armed than the assassins do in the games and instead, the weapons are discreetly hidden beneath their clothing. (There's honestly a lot of stuff you can hide on your person; I've tried it myself.)  
> Also, none of the characters know this, but the lullaby is a softer, more legato version of a Hungarian drinking song called "Három hordó." Whoops. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-O2kNfUmaY)
> 
> And just to clear the air, this story isn't set in a particular historical time period or place. It's Europe, but a different universe and different history. If I had to approximate, it would be in a Post-WWII-ish time, but again, not our WWII.


	5. Why Do You Always Go Where I Can't Follow?

The impossible had happened.

              Ludwig had a hard time believing it himself, but it was as certain as the arrival of dawn. Feliciano had lost their map.

              He had asked to look at the map to see how far they were from Rome, but unfortunately, the day had been particularly windy. Feliciano’s grip on the map was not strong enough to keep it from suddenly flying away and allowing the front car of a train passing by to take the map with it. Ludwig’s jaw dropped as he processed the almost impossible scene before him.

              “FELICIANO…” He grumbled, sending a chill down his friend’s spine. A little yelp escaped his lips as the clumsy young man instinctively took off in the opposite direction, wailing about how sorry he was and how he would try to retrieve the map. Ludwig had no choice but to chase the very nimble young man through the mid-day crowd in the train station.

              It was no easy task to fight the crowd and keep up with that auburn head darting around in the crowd as if he were running for his life. He absolutely did not feel up to this either, so he waited till Feliciano got into an area where he could see where he was and stopped running. The train was out of sight and Ludwig’s absence finally caught Feliciano’s attention. Before Feliciano could begin to wonder why Ludwig had stopped, Ludwig began to briskly walk away in the opposite direction from him. Feliciano’s eyes widened in shock and he immediately began chasing after him.

              With tears in his eyes, Feliciano had come back running to him just as Ludwig had predicted. He honestly wasn’t certain if that stunt would actually work, but it somehow did. Ludwig’s bewilderment at his plan’s success prevented him from enjoying the fact that he didn’t have to fully chase Feliciano like all the other times.

              As soon as he reached his friend, Feliciano flung himself into Ludwig’s arms, almost knocking him over with the sudden force of weight upon him.

              “Be careful!” He grumbled as Feliciano hung his arms around Ludwig’s neck for dear life while crying into his chest. “Feliciano, why do you always go where I can’t follow?”

              “Ludwig, why did you do that? I thought you were really going to leave!” He sniffled. “Please don’t leave me! I-I’m really scared that you’ll start to hate me! Please don’t do that! I’ll do whatever you want! I’ll even stop climbing things and—”

              “Of course I wouldn’t. I could never hate you.” He sighed and returned the embrace briefly. “I only ran away because I knew it would make you come back.” A light flush was on his pale cheeks.

              Feliciano’s eyes brightened in wonder. “Woah, you can read my mind?!”

              “No,” Ludwig sighed. “I only made a prediction based on your past behavior.”

              “Oh.”

              “Anyway, the train will be here soon, so we should hurry to the proper station.”

              Feliciano released his companion and saluted, “Yes, captain!” This gave Ludwig a little contented grin as his friend released his other arm from his neck and began to head to where they came from.

              The two walked side by side and continued on their way, already forgetting why they were even running in the first place.

 

              An observing pair of eyes narrowed. The figure withdrew from the crowd and back into the shadows.

 

_“Hello? Who’s there?”_

              _So this was the person who Feliciano had been only catching a glimpse of for quite a while now as he had been living in Roderich’s mansion. Elizabeta had told him that there was another boy who also lived in the mansion with them. Apparently he was very shy, but now he was here, curiously peeking out from the door that was cracked open. He was in a similar situation as Elizabeta and himself, in which he was also there for Roderich’s mentorship. Even so, this mysterious boy had refused to give his name and rarely spoke._

_Feliciano gripped the broom in his tiny hands and approached the boy. The boy with blond hair and blue eyes began to back away and close the door, but was stopped abruptly._

_“Wait, don’t go! Why do you follow me, but run away if I come after you?_ “ _Feliciano ran towards him and pushed the door open to see the boy who appeared around his age. The boy was caught like a deer in the headlights; he was about to take off until the sleeve of his shirt was grabbed. “Don’t be scared, I won’t hurt you.” Feliciano smiled warmly and unknowingly summoned a light blush on the other boy’s cheeks. “I’m Feli—“_

_“You’re very pretty!” The boy stammered as he freed himself and ran away before Feliciano could even finish talking. He stood there confused, yet flattered._

_‘Pretty? Is it because I’m wearing the dress Miss Elizabeta gave me?’ He wondered._

 

Feliciano awoke inside the train beside Ludwig.

              Still trying to sort reality from the vivid memories he relived while he was asleep, he recomposed himself the best he could and slowly sat up. He looked to his right and saw that Ludwig had dozed off. It was an unusual occurrence for him to sleep during the day, so Feliciano took the opportunity to observe his sleeping face. He wasn’t sure if it was his vivid dreams playing tricks on him, but Feliciano could’ve sworn he saw the boy from his childhood in Ludwig.

 _There’s no way… I’m probably still just imagining things,_ he thought to himself.

              Now that he thought of it, this was the first time he had seen Ludwig asleep on the train. He found it amusing that he still wore a serious expression even when he was asleep. Looking down, Feliciano had noticed that his right hand was inside Ludwig’s left. Just the sight of it lifted his mood enough for him to forget his worries. He was tempted to try and press out the frown on Ludwig’s face, but he retracted his left hand, deciding against it. He liked Ludwig’s face. Although it was serious most of the time, it was still quite handsome, especially when he smiled. Ludwig rarely smiled, but Feliciano thought that was what made his smiles even more special.

              Smiling at the thought, Feliciano felt his heart swell with affection for this person which manifested itself as him nuzzling his head on his friend’s shoulder once more. Feeling content, he began to stare out the window at the passing scenery.

              Upon further examination, he recognized the area somewhat. He had been in there before and he knew that they were finally nearing the capital. His eyes followed the outlines of the rolling hills against the cloudy sky as they let the world pass by. He eventually ran out of hills to follow with his eyes and transferred his gaze to the reflection of a sleeping Ludwig that he saw himself leaning against. ‘ _If only it could stay this way forever_ ,’ he thought to himself as he reveled in the purity of the moment. Feliciano contentedly remained there for quite a while, but sitting for a long amount of time had taken a toll on him and he decided to get up and stretch his legs.

              Reluctantly but gently releasing Ludwig’s hand, Feliciano got out of his seat and began to walk down the aisle. The train wasn’t crowded, but it didn’t feel empty either. Everyone had been minding their own business with the exception of the few children that had stared at him to whom he made sure to smile and wave at.

              Heading further down the train, he searched for a place to go outside so he could get some fresh air. Thankfully, he could see through the window that there was a railed area outside of the train where he could stay. He opened the door, unintentionally gaining the attention of everyone in the car.

              Little did he know that this also brought him some unfortunate attention.

 

Ludwig awoke to discover the disappearance of Feliciano.

              He looked around to see if he could find that head of auburn hair with that peculiar curl anywhere around the train car to no avail. He guessed that Feliciano would return in a few minutes at most, so he thought nothing of it and waited.

               A few moments passed until Ludwig couldn’t bear it anymore. Hundreds of possibilities had already popped into his mind, prompting him to dart up from his seat. They were on a train, so Feliciano couldn’t have gone too far. Ludwig began to walk down the aisle and thoroughly look around for him. A child caught his attention and asked if he was looking for the guy with the weird curl in his hair to which he promptly nodded. After being pointed in the direction Feliciano went, Ludwig hurriedly made his way to the next train car.

              As Ludwig almost reached the end of the nearly empty aisle, he heard a muffled yelp from outside. Growing even more anxious, he hastily opened the exit of the train car.

              Nobody was there. Ludwig’s heart began to race.

            “Ludwig?!” cried out the familiar voice. Ludwig was both shocked and relieved to hear him. He looked up to the direction of the source of the voice and there Feliciano was, peeking out from above the next train car. A fearful look was on his face.  “Thank g-goodness you’re here!” His voice was shaky. “He was coming after me, and I—I…” It was hard to hear what he was saying due to the noise of the moving train.

            “Get down from there!” Ludwig called out and beckoned him over. Feliciano nodded and carefully climbed back down. As soon as he stepped down from the ladder, he quickly embraced his friend as if he were gripping onto him for dear life.

            “What happened? Who was yelling?” Ludwig held Feliciano who continued to hold on to him tightly, making his chest feel constricted.

            “I—” Feliciano seemed as if he were in shock, still trying to comprehend what just happened.

            “What happened?” Ludwig asked as Feliciano buried his face into Ludwig’s chest and pointed at the ground of the passing scenery.

              “Some guy… He attacked me and I…” Blue eyes widened in response. _Feliciano couldn’t have_.

              “You mean you—”

            Feliciano nodded into his chest. His words were muffled, but it wasn’t hard to hear what he said. “I _pushed_ him. He broke his neck. I saw it… ” All Ludwig could do was to hold him tightly and make sure they stayed put by the railing at the end of the train car.

 

Feliciano stayed there in Ludwig’s arms, remaining eerily silent.

              The two remained where they were, clinging to the railings of the outer side of the train car for what seemed like an eternity. At least they were on the brink of reaching the closest city. They would get off at the next stop and find their way to Rome from there.

              Feliciano took comfort in Ludwig’s arms and in his reassuring words. Despite the shock of what had just happened, he felt safer now that Ludwig was here.

            However, their period of peace was cut short by the sound of the doors opposite of them opening cautiously. The two let go and prepared for what was to come. Two men appeared in front of them and asked why the two of them were outside.

            “It’s nothing! I just needed some fresh air!” Feliciano apologetically explained before Ludwig could come up with anything.

            They claimed to be investigating a scream and the sudden disappearance of their friend, which made Feliciano blanch.

            “We didn’t see anything, but we’ll let you know if we do.” Ludwig interjected, prompting them to leave. The men nodded and left them alone. Ludwig turned around to see Feliciano face away from him and tightly hold onto the railing.

               A moment passed until Feliciano spoke. “Ludwig, we need to hide.” Feliciano looked up and into Ludwig’s eyes.

            “They know, don’t they?”

              “I think—“Feliciano’s response was cut off as both doors from both trains abruptly opened. They were surrounded.

            There were two men in front of them. Feliciano caught his breath as his eyes met with the hostile expressions of two more approaching from inside the train car. Without a second thought, he suddenly dashed for the ladder to climb on the roof to safety. “Up here!”

            “What—“ Ludwig was cut off by the other two coming after him before he could finish his question. The other two went after Feliciano, causing Ludwig to knock the two out harder than he should have in a rush to help. It took some time, but he managed to knock one more down before he could make his way to the ladder.

 

            Feliciano stood unsteadily on the roof of the train. He watched the man readying himself to pull out a concealed weapon. “Please leave me alone! I don’t want any more trouble!” cried Feliciano. He could feel his heart leaping in his chest. He had to escape. But how? There was nothing but more train to run to. However, running away was absolutely not an option either because he couldn’t just leave Ludwig behind, wherever he was.

            The man did not listen to his pleas and unsteadily advanced forward, making Feliciano shakily back up in turn and trip. As Feliciano’s rear hit the hard metal of the train’s roof, he made sure to keep his balance for dear life as the train went on its track. He looked in horror as the man produced a pistol that was concealed in his clothing.

           ‘ _Oddio,’_ Feliciano fearfully thought to himself. If this man had his way, Feliciano knew he would never see his brother again or help Ludwig find—

 His thoughts were interrupted as the man stood over him and pointed his weapon, ready to fire. That very second, pure instinct overtook him and Feliciano’s legs tangled with his assailant’s. He managed to trip him, making him shoot the metal next to where he sat and then stumble. The next thing Feliciano knew, he found that he had the man hanging from the side of the train for dear life with his foot crushing his hands that were holding on.

            “FELICIANO!?” A voice shouted for him, causing him to snap out of his spell and turn around, unintentionally squeezing the hands of the man tightly enough to make him let go and fall from the moving train and off the bridge they were currently going over. Relief to see Ludwig quickly turned into shock when he realized what he had just done.

            Shock was evidently mirrored on Ludwig’s face as he saw the hands of the man slip off of the train’s cold metal exterior. A snapping sound came afterwards, widening their eyes and earning a simultaneous gasp. Feliciano fell to his knees in shock.

            “I—I didn’t mean for any of this to happen…” He spoke with a frail voice, completely disregarding his moment of victory. He regretfully looked back to where he last saw his assailant, staring at the space with a conflicted expression. Uneasiness stirred within him.

              Ludwig carefully made his way over so he could offer a hand. Looking into his eyes, Ludwig moved him away from near the edge and spoke in his firm militaristic voice as he held his quaking shoulders. “Feliciano, I need you to remain calm.” Looking up with clouded eyes, Feliciano did his best to comprehend what was being said to him, as if Ludwig’s voice was waking him from an awful dream. “We can’t stay here. We definitely can’t go back inside and it looks too dangerous to… jump off…” He hesitated a little at the last part of his sentence. Looking around for another escape option, he saw that there was another set of railroad tracks laid next to the train they were on. An idea lit up his eyes and he looked back to Feliciano. “When another train comes by, we’re going to jump onto it.”

              “Jump?” Feliciano gazed at the other rails numbly, barely registering what had been said to him, for he was too caught up in his mind.

              “I know it’s crazy, but it’s the only way out without causing anymore compromises. Will you trust me?” He asked, now gripping his friend’s hand more firmly. Looking down at his hand which was being squeezed, Feliciano looked back up to Ludwig and let the tightness of his grip bring him back to reality. Taking a deep breath, he did his best to pull himself together and nodded in confirmation.

              “With my life.”

              Feliciano and Ludwig sat together atop the train, waiting hand in hand.

 

* * * * *

 

The two successfully carried out their plan and thankfully, the new train was headed in Rome’s general direction.

              They had ended up in Rome’s countryside, a distance that wasn’t awfully far from the city. Neither of them cared enough, for they were simply too relieved that the whole ordeal was over and done.

              “Ludwig, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen…” whispered Feliciano who was now sitting next to him after they had snuck into one of the train’s storage cars. “I’m… pretty sure they’re…” His voice was low and he stared at the ground. Feliciano knew those men that were tossed over the train couldn’t have survived that fall. He heard the snaps of their bodies breaking. “I never thought I’d have to…” he hoarsely whispered. Feliciano sat there and tucked his head into his knees as his mind replayed the moment over and over again. His distress grew as he thought more about how he felt about what he had just done. _I’m so tired of violence, but here I am—_ “Ludwig, I can’t keep this up anymore!” He cried. He needed to clear his mind, his conscience, his guilt. He removed his hands from his head and looked to his friend. “Ludwig, I should just come clean! I’m a m—“

              Ludwig hushed him and looked around. “It’s okay, Feliciano.” he spoke in a gentle demeanor. “It’s not your fault, you know. _They_ were attacking you. You had every right to defend yourself.”

              Feliciano paused. _Defense… Yeah._ He was thankful that Ludwig had stopped him before he could confess anything Ludwig didn’t need to know. Telling him about what truly bothered him would only complicate things even further. Feliciano took a breath and continued to divulge the rest of his thoughts. “I know. But those men… I’m sure they were very important to someone else out there.” He trailed off as his expression grew more strained. He moved to lean on Ludwig for comfort, but quickly retracted himself and tucked his knees to his chest, staring at the floor. A storm of conflict raged on in his mind. _I don’t deserve him._ _I’m awful, so very awful._

              Although Ludwig took notice of how withdrawn Feliciano had become, his words had a larger impact on him than he anticipated, which kept him preoccupied. Ludwig thought back to his days on the battlefield and all of the wasted lives of the people that never left it. How many parents, siblings, sons, and daughters had he taken away with his own hands? There was a long pause until he finally replied, “...We did what we had to.”

              Ludwig was right about doing what they had to.  Still, Feliciano remained silent for a disconcertingly long amount of time. It wasn’t the faces of the two men he pushed off the train that haunted his mind. It was something entirely different.

              And this thing made him feel awful. So very awful.

 

 

“Sir, we’ve gathered word of _him_. He’s on the move to Rome.”

              “Oh, is that so? After all these years, he’s finally shown himself!” A wry grin formed on the other side of the telephone line. “Are you sure it’s _him_?”

              “Yes, his appearance has been confirmed by the survivors and witnesses. He and his companion took down a few of our spies on the railways heading to Rome, sir.” A light eyebrow was raised at that.

              “A companion, you say?” The toothy grin widened. “Now _this_ is interesting! Go find them! Send all available units to Rome! I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

              “Yes, sir. Right away.” The phone line went dead. The smile still lingered on his face.

              “Alright, Vargas, let’s see what you’ve got up your sleeve this time!”

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was at this point I realized I was basically writing an Anastasia AU.  
> Amnesiac redheads being haunted by their forgotten pasts? Train hopping? End goal is heading to a famous European city?  
> Don't worry, we won't have any reanimated people hunting down our protagonists... Or will we?
> 
>  
> 
> Also, don't underestimate the power of the wind. Many years ago in 7th grade, I was eating the crusts off a poptart and right when I was about to get to the good part, the wind blew it right out of my hand and onto the ground. I had to watch as a nearby seagull swooped in and ate it.  
> We'll just say that it was one of my most formative moments in life.


	6. I'm Gonna Try Something

The two had decided that it was best to postpone their arrival to Rome after the incident on the train.

              They found themselves in an area near a large town which still had some damage left over from the war. After all, it had only ended a few years ago. Along the way, they had come across a small white brick house that had weeds running wildly on and around it, seemingly abandoned.

              Going up to the doorstep, Feliciano noticed the dying shrubbery on the side of the house that looked like they had once been cared for tentatively. Looking at the faded doormat, he knew that this place was once home to someone living a seemingly quiet and peaceful life. Carefully grabbing the knob, he unnecessarily knocked and then opened the blue door.

              Ludwig cautiously followed behind, examining the area around the house. After his inspection, he went into the opened door, telling Feliciano not to intrude. He stopped mid-sentence when he took in the sight of the interior. _So this is what a real home looks like?_

              It was a very simple, but comfortable-looking arrangement. Before them was a living room with a couch and a couple of plush chairs arranged around a coffee table that had a few old newspapers scattered atop it, dating back to the days of the war. There was an end table with a lamp in between the plush chairs, a large bookshelf, a record player, and a radio. In front of the couch stood a brick fireplace with the wood still inside, ready to burn. Looking at the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, everything had a light layer of dust on it, collected from the years of awaiting its owner’s return.

              “Ludwig, can we stay here?” Pleaded Feliciano.

              “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Ludwig protested with a lack of his usual firmness, for he was caught up in the sight of the house’s elegant simplicity. Something about this place seemed more appealing than staying in another inn or hotel for the night.

              “Why not? I’m sure one night wouldn’t hurt.” He said as he began to inspect everything else, swiftly moving around the room. “C’mon, Ludwig! This house seems _so_ much better than another boring inn! Apparently they were thinking the same thing. Feliciano ran back and reached to grab Ludwig’s hands, but before he could do so, his eyes widened as if he remembered something and he dropped his hands back to his sides. Instantly perking back up, he pleaded, “I’ll even clean off all the dust if you want!” He tried to play it off as if nothing happened, but Ludwig already began to take notice of his change in demeanor.

              “Won’t this make us squatters?”

              “Trust me, we’re not squatting. Nobody’s been here for years, at least. It won’t hurt anyone if we stay for just a night.”

              Ludwig watched Feliciano as he casually made his way around the living room and raised an eyebrow. He looked around for personal effects, but there was nothing notable.

              He looked at the door and saw that there was a strange looking keyhole beneath the regular ones. “You know who owns this place, don’t you?”

              Feliciano turned around with a grin. “Yup. An old friend who hasn’t been around for a while.”

              “And you’re sure it’s okay…?”

              Feliciano nodded, “Of course it is!”

              And so, the two made their way to the nearby town to get supplies for their stay.

 

 

As Ludwig walked down the street, he began to consider how much he enjoyed being in Italy.

              The weather was always nice, the people all seemed to be laidback, and the food he ate was always amazing. _I could live the rest of my life here_ , he thought. This peaceful moment was due to the fact that Feliciano had taken a separate direction to buy some other things so that they could head back to the house in what was left of the daylight. Ludwig had been very efficient with his time and he was on the last thing on his list, which were tomatoes. When Ludwig saw the tomato stand at the marketplace, he approached it with the fervor of a man on a mission

              An unsuspecting vendor was minding his own business until he noticed a tall, menacing figure come his way. He sent a small prayer to God hoping that this intimidating man wasn’t approaching him.

              The vendor’s prayer was not answered.

              “ _CIAO_. _PRONTO._ _QUANTO COSTA?_ ” The unusual intensity and preciseness of the man’s voice frightened the vendor, causing him to ignore the intimidating man’s request to know how much his tomatoes cost.

              To his ears, it sounded like he was being sent a death threat. “ _Ciao! Ciao!_ J-just take it, please!!! They’re on the house!” He almost shrieked. Anything to make him go away!

              “Seriously?! _GRAZIE!_ ”

              The poor vendor was shaking in fright, unbeknownst to Ludwig as he walked away happily with his free tomatoes. _Wow, the people here are surprisingly generous_ , he mused as he leisurely strolled to the piazza where he and Feliciano would meet when they finished shopping.

              Ludwig made it to the town square ten minutes before their decided time according to the clock, so he found a place to sit with his purchases and waited. The sky was rather cloudy and he began to stare at the clouds, simply thinking and enjoying his moment of peace. The pace of the small town was calm, despite all of the things happening at once. Various sounds from all over could be heard, but it wasn’t as loud as the cities they had visited. Taking a deep breath, he enjoyed the peaceful afternoon atmosphere.

              It wasn’t until long that he heard the familiar pitter patter of steps coming up from behind him. “ _Ciao ciao_ , Ludwig!” He stood up and turned to see a cheerful Feliciano who was approaching him with a bag full of groceries. “I got all the other things we need to make dinner!” He said cheerfully. “And I didn’t trip or anything this time!” Even so, Ludwig unconsciously examined him for any injuries. One thing he noticed was an almost dried spot of blood on his right collar.

              “Is that so? How come there’s blood on your shirt?” How could this be here when he had said he wasn’t injured? Ludwig looked to the side of Feliciano’s head where he had been struck not too long ago. It still appeared to be unscathed. Feliciano looked down at the collar of his coat and let out a tiny gasp, gripping his grocery bag tighter.

              “Oh, I forgot about that! It’s okay, Ludwig,” he assured. “I just had a little nosebleed earlier. It’s probably from the heat.” He shrugged. Feliciano looked down and gripped tighter on the bag so Ludwig wouldn’t see the other, slightly bigger blood stain behind it. A look of guilt flashed on his face as he recalled how the blood had been splattered on him. Shaking the thought, he looked back up with a smile. “Let’s go back, Ludwig! I’m excited to cook some pasta tonight!”

              Dropping the matter, the two headed back with a sense of contentedness.

 

As evening came, so did the rain clouds.

              The two had just finished a delicious pasta dinner that Feliciano had cooked, after Ludwig’s meticulous cleaning of the kitchen. In the candlelit house, they worked together to wash the dishes, (surprisingly, the water was running, but the gas and electricity were inconsistent), and put everything away properly. The two had set up the fire in the fireplace and settled on the couch together, staring at the flames which now ate at the logs. It was quite surreal for Ludwig to be where he was, in some stranger’s long-abandoned home, relaxing with Feliciano.

              “Hey, Ludwig, what exactly did you do in the military? During the war, I mean.” He asked out of nowhere, catching Ludwig off guard.

              “Oh, I… fought.” This got Feliciano to pause for a moment.

              “Oh...” He said pensively. “What was it like for you being so young and fighting in the war? …From what you remember, at least.” Ludwig shifted his position a little at the discomfort that this question brought him.

              “From what I understood, each of the belligerent sides in the war ended up resorting to recruiting soldiers that were at least fourteen and that I was just one of them. Of course it wasn’t fun, but we had no other choice but to follow orders and serve our country.”

              “I remember hearing about that!” Feliciano jolted up a little and fixed himself back into his prior position. “That was so terrible! I’m so sorry you had to go through that, it must’ve been really tough.” He said sincerely and moved to lay his head on Ludwig’s right shoulder, but instead resigned himself to sitting closer.

              “…I did what I had to.” said Ludwig. The words sounded worn out in his voice as if they were something that he had told himself over and over again for a long time. “We had no choice but to get used to it, after all.” Feliciano lifted his feet onto the couch and rested his arms on his knees.

              “Didn’t we all…” Ludwig barely heard Feliciano’s awfully uncharacteristic statement. Looking over at his friend, he began to grow curious about that remark. When he looked over, an unreadable expression was on his face.

              “Feliciano, were you also a soldier?” It seemed like an uncanny question for such a clumsy person who could barely tie his own shoelaces properly, but it didn’t hurt to ask. There was a little bit of a pause before he spoke.

              “…No.” He replied. “I don’t like violence.” He stared at the fire with what appeared to be a sad smile. From outside the window, they could hear the rain pouring from the darkened evening sky.  For a moment, the two sat there, simply thinking. Feliciano now looked to Ludwig as he stared into the fire, deep in thought. Something within him ached. Feliciano grew tired of the distance he had tried to make between them and the mood suddenly changed as he got an idea. “Hey, Ludwig?”

              “Yes?”

              “Have you ever danced before?” He popped his head up and their eyes were on each other for the first time in forever.

              “Dance? I never really thought of—“ Before he could finish his sentence, Feliciano was up and off of the couch, taking his hand. “…dancing…”

              “I thought so.” He smiled. “C’mon, I’ll teach you to dance!” He pulled his friend from the couch by his hands and went over to the record player to examine what songs there were.  Placing the needle on the record he had just placed into the machine, he went back to take Ludwig’s hand and place it on his waist.

 

_Speak low when you speak love_

_Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon_

              “I-Is this really necessary?!” A light blush made its way onto Ludwig’s face as Feliciano placed his other hand on his shoulder. His question went ignored.

 

_Speak low when you speak love_

_Our moment is swift, like ships adrift, we’re swept apart, too soon_

 

              “No need to worry, Ludwig! Nobody else is even around to see, so relax a little!” He spoke with confidence as he began to sway and encouraged Ludwig to do the same.

 

_Speak low, darling speak low_

_Love is a spark, lost in the dark too soon, too soon_

 

              “I’m gonna spin you around a little.” He was smiling ear to ear. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall down or anything.” A little giggle came from Feliciano before the two attempted their first spin, in which Ludwig almost stepped on his foot. “Ludwig, don’t stiffen up! Why don’t you let me lead? I won’t mind if you step on my feet.” He urged his friend with that kind smile of his. “Give it a try, it’ll be alright!”

 

_I feel wherever I go_

_That tomorrow is near, tomorrow, is here and always too soon_

              The whole process and concept of dancing seemed strange to Ludwig. The fact that people decided to move around to music in a certain way as a pastime never really appealed to him, but now that he was with Feliciano, he understood why people enjoyed it.  Dancing wasn’t so bad after all. He certainly did _not_ hate the fact that he was holding hands with Feliciano and that his hand was on his waist. It felt rather… nice, actually. In fact, he really enjoyed this moment as his heart began to beat faster. _Is this how friends are supposed to feel?_ He wasn’t quite sure anymore. Everything about Feliciano’s actions during the past few days had confused Ludwig, yet left him with a feeling of wanting more from him.

 

_Time is so old and love so brief_

_Love is pure gold and time a thief_

              Ludwig did his best to follow Feliciano’s lead as they swayed to the music and twirled around the room here and there. The environment seemed to fall into silence with the exception of the sound of the record playing, the burning wood, and the rain falling outside. As they danced, the two began to lose the world around them and take in the moment as their eyes were on each other. Ludwig wasn’t used to this kind of thing. However, he couldn’t help but allow his enjoyment to overshadow his awkwardness, for a little smile formed at the corners of his lips.

_We’re late, darling, we’re late_

_The curtain descends, everything ends too soon, too soon_

_I wait, darling I wait_

_Will you speak low to me, speak love to me, and soon?_

 

              The song came to an end, so Feliciano went back to replay it and resumed their positions. Suddenly, Ludwig began to feel a little braver. He didn’t know what got into him or why he felt this way, but he began to take the lead. Dancing slower than Feliciano had when he led, the two swayed and twirled around on Ludwig’s terms this time. He wondered if it was okay to hold him this close. He felt a little selfish for not asking if it was okay, but his partner didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, Feliciano took advantage of their limited distance and rested his head on Ludwig’s shoulder as they ended up swaying slowly.

              For a while, the rest of the world was nothing but a silly little thought in the back of their minds. There was nothing else besides that small brick house, the music, and the two of them. And if there were anything else, none of it mattered. They reveled in the moment, for it felt as if they were the only two people in the world. For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, both of them had felt at home.

              The music slowed down again and so did the two of them. When it stopped, they lingered there for a while, silently gazing at each other. A sort of unfamiliar ache and longing overwhelmed Feliciano. Their little dance had to end _sometime_. Just like the music, he knew that their time together could not go on forever simply because he wanted it to. Time certainly was a thief. So for now, all he could do was hold on to Ludwig for what little time they had.

              A little frown formed on Feliciano’s features as he looked into Ludwig’s eyes, searching for something. There was silence as Ludwig looked back, curious about what was going on in his mind. Without warning, Feliciano gently placed a hand on Ludwig’s cheek.

              Then it happened.

              A soft pair of lips were pressed onto Ludwig’s. His eyes widened in surprise. His heart began to beat even faster against his chest. _Do something! Anything!_ However, his body failed him and he froze up.

              Feliciano pushed himself deeper into the kiss before he had to let go. Before he had to face what he had just done and before the world around them came back into existence, making everything become a thousand times more complicated than it had been merely seconds ago.

              The two stood there startled. _Oh no…_ It was as if a spell had just been broken, for although Feliciano had the mind to kiss Ludwig again, reason now found its way back to him. “ _Cosa ho fatto?!_ ” His words came out swiftly after he gasped. _What have I done?!_ He looked to a confused Ludwig and backed away, slipping out of his hands, however much he didn’t want to. He panicked. “I’m sorry.” Not even bothering to take his coat, Feliciano dashed outside of the house.

              Ludwig silently stood there absolutely baffled at what had just happened. Before he could even think of calling out to him, Feliciano had nimbly hopped over the couch and exited through the door.

 

At that moment, a strange thing happened to Ludwig.

              His mind had shut down for a moment and went somewhere else. It was a peculiar place, for it felt familiar, yet he didn’t quite recognize it. He couldn’t tell where exactly he was, but knew that he was somewhere outside. He knew this because he could make out the luscious green grass surrounding him and his mysterious companion standing before him. He couldn’t tell who it was, but he knew that he felt very strongly about this small person before him.

              Looking at himself, he realized that he too, was smaller like the person before him. A small, pink flower was in his hand. _What a beautiful flower_ , he thought. _It would look even better if it were on this person_. Timidly, he decided to place the flower where he thought it would look best: right behind their right ear…

 

Feliciano ran.

              It was pouring outside, but he couldn’t care less. He needed to get away from there to clear his head, to remember.

              Just like the rain, the weight of reality relentlessly poured down upon him.

              He felt _trapped_.

              He didn’t want to be seen, he didn’t want to be found. Not just yet. The only way he figured to go… was up.

              Despite the precipitation, he made it to the roof just fine and sat down to think and to simply exist away from everything else.

              He sat there for a while. Slightly tilting his face up at the dark, rainy sky before his eyes, the pleasant cold droplets began to mix with the tears trickling down his heated cheeks.

              The rainy sky redirected his thoughts, reminding him of a certain, pivotal moment in his life.

_"I’m sorry, Feliciano, but it’s been too long since we’ve heard from him. At this point, we have no other choice but to assume that he’s not coming back.”_

              Dismissing the unpleasant memory, his thoughts led him back to Ludwig. Any second now, he would come out of that front door in search of him with that steadfast determination that he admired so much.

_I’m not letting it happen this time._

              Another moment passed and just as he anticipated, the front door had opened. From above, he saw Ludwig emerge from the house, searching the area and calling out for him in the darkness. He wiped his eyes and stood up.

 

Ludwig walked to the rainy backyard with a flashlight in hand.

              He didn’t need to go far to find who he was looking for, for there he was, simply sitting on a stone bench in the rain with his wet hair clinging to his skin.

              “Feliciano…?” He dared to break the silence this time, lest he run away again.

            “…I’m okay.” He replied in a broken voice, only raising Ludwig’s concern to his dismay. “Ah, sorry!” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry… I just needed some time to think.” He looked away, using the darkness as an opportunity to wipe his face before Ludwig could see that he was crying.

              “It’s okay.” Ludwig began to walk towards him, carefully minding where his light hit. “Why don’t you come back inside? Your clothes are soaked, you might catch a cold.”

              “Okay, Ludwig.” He replied, his voice still frail. Grabbing his hand, the two went back into the house to dry off.

 

“Now, why did you run off like th—“

              Ludwig grabbed a towel and threw it to Feliciano as he emerged from the bathroom naked. “Put a towel on, at least!” His face was reddened as he glanced at the floor.

              “I’m sorry, Ludwig!” He apologized as he caught the towel before it could fly past him. He happily unfolded it and placed it around his waist. Ludwig raised an eyebrow. Feliciano’s reflexes were pretty quick for someone who was usually so clumsy.

              “It’s okay,” he said calmly as he now dried off Feliciano’s hair with another towel when he sat himself on the bed. Ludwig’s hair, which was always pulled back by habit, was now down and hung short, covering his forehead. Feliciano looked him up and down for a moment. Suddenly, a more pensive expression was on his face as he looked down and away from him. Ludwig noticed this and asked, “What’s wrong, Feliciano?”

              “I’m sorry, Ludwig. I just realized a lot of things and I just… needed to sort some of it out.”

              “Do you want to tell me about it?” The rubbing of his hair slowed down as he cautiously asked. Feliciano stayed silent as Ludwig lent him his dry shirt. The anticipation left some tightness in his chest. After Feliciano made sure he was dried off, he sat down on the bed next to Ludwig.

              “How come you were holding my hand on the train?” A blush came to Ludwig’s face at the mention of it. He had almost forgotten about that thanks to the events that followed afterwards. He put the dampened towel at the foot of the bed before he responded.

              “…You were stirring in your sleep again.” Looking down to his right, he saw the surprised expression on Feliciano’s face. “You always seem to have bad dreams, so I decided to try something to calm you down... If that was alright.” 

              Ludwig’s statement had dampened his usual firmness into a more tender demeanor that Feliciano had seen when Ludwig spoke earnestly from his heart like that night in Austria. Not to mention, the flush in his cheeks gave it away as well.

              “I see…” He glanced at Ludwig. “That was definitely alright. Thank you.” The thought of Ludwig doing something so intimate of his own volition made him blush.

              But now he had to say what was on his mind, no matter how nervous he began to feel. He took a breath and looked his friend in the eyes. “Ludwig, was it okay?”

              “Was what okay?”

              “What I did to you earlier.” Still gazing into his eyes, he slowly lifted a hand to Ludwig’s chin, but hesitated and then put his hand down on the bed. “You weren’t disgusted, were you?”

              Ludwig’s eyes widened as he recalled the kiss that Feliciano had given him earlier. Ludwig grew rigid and flustered at the thought. He didn’t know how he was going to bring up that subject, so he was thankful that Feliciano did instead. “N…No.”

              “Then…” His resolve wavered for a second, but Feliciano regained his determination in a heartbeat. “Would it be okay if I did something else selfish?”

              “Selfish? What do you mean?” He sat there, unsure of where Feliciano’s train of thought was going.

              Looking straight into Ludwig’s eyes once more, Feliciano slowly moved his face closer. “I love you, Ludwig.”

              The words hit him with a blunt force. Ludwig’s heart raced as he sat there for a moment in disbelief, trying to process. _There was no way he could mean…_

               "...As a—as a friend, right?” _Friends, that’s right._ That’s all they were. Feliciano was just the type of person to be generous with his affection, right?

              Closing his eyes, he gave a little huff and gently shook his head. “That too, but what I mean to say is that I’m _in_ love with you. _Ich liebe dich_. Like… Achilles and Patroclus—Apollo and Hyacinth, R-Romeo and Juliet...” He looked down at his hands and began to fidget. “I know it’s only been a few weeks, but after getting to know you and spending all this time with you, I realize how… special you are to me.” His smile was very gentle, despite how nervous he seemed. “When we’re together, everything feels okay. I really appreciate how you’re always there for me, even when I say you shouldn’t be.” The more he bared his feelings, the redder his face became. Feliciano looked away for a second and took a deep breath so he could recompose himself and continue.

              Meanwhile, Ludwig sat there, listening. Surprised, but definitely listening.

               Feliciano looked Ludwig in the eyes again and spoke. “I-I know things are kind of risky right now and I’m not the toughest person in the world, but I think about that one night in Austria a lot, and I feel the same way about wanting to protect you too. You’re really important to me, you know?”

              There was a long pause.

              “…’s that so?” Ludwig was red in the ears and cheeks at this point. He remained silent and casted his eyes downwards. Both the kiss and his confession were more than Ludwig could process all at once. He sat still while his heart and mind ran wild, for every assumption he had about Feliciano’s affection for him had been destroyed with a few simple words.

              He honestly didn’t know how to feel about him yet. But when Feliciano kissed him and when he told him he loved him, he… certainly didn’t dislike any of it. With all these unfamiliar feelings abruptly presented before him, he was at a loss for words. Even so, he knew that a pair of amber eyes were looking at him anxiously, undoubtedly milking a better response. _Think of something!_ Ludwig racked his brain for _something_ in that scrambled mess that was currently his mind at the moment.

              “I mean, it’s okay if you don’t feel the same way... I-I just wanted you to know...” He began to fidget. “The last thing I’d want for us is to be awkward, haha... You can even pretend this didn’t happen if you really want! I’ll understand… I mean... Oh, I’m sorry I’m rambling again...” He covered his mouth.

              Taking another moment, Ludwig pulled himself together as best as he could. He gently patted Feliciano’s head and then moved his hand back to his lap. Feliciano appeared anxious as he waited for him to say something.

              “Thank you.” When he said that, Feliciano’s eyes closed a little and he grinned happily with a sigh of relief.

              “Thank _you_ for accepting my feelings, Ludwig.” That pure smile of his was contagious. Ludwig could feel the mood lighten as Feliciano spoke. Ludwig already knew that Feliciano was never very subtle with his affection, for he had always been hugging him and holding his hand whenever he got the chance.

              Feliciano only ever told him how he truly felt about him, and now, how he loved him. So all of those things weren’t just him being friendly. It meant more, and that filled Ludwig with a sense of relief because the intentions behind Feliciano’s acts of affection had him wondering for quite a while. The things Feliciano did were out of love, and the notion of this pierced his heart.

              Although he wanted more than anything to have a response to his feelings, Ludwig didn’t know what else to say. The problem was that he wasn’t exactly _sure_ about how he felt about Feliciano. He couldn’t give him a definite answer. Not this soon, at least. So instead of using words, Ludwig responded with a tentatively delivered hug.

              It may have been a few seconds, but their embrace was a welcome relief. When they finally let go, the atmosphere became a little awkward and the two couldn’t manage to look up at each other.

              They could hear that the rain outside was pouring even stronger. The roar of thunder bellowed, breaking the silence, and a flash of lightning brightened up the sky. Ludwig noticed that Feliciano had flinched.  Another roll of thunder and flash of lightning went off. Suddenly his eyes seemed almost vacant, save the look of terror from whatever he was seeing. Another clap of thunder and flash of lightning. His breathing grew shallow as he tensed up. Ludwig began to worry.

              “Is something wrong?” He had noticed the thunder and lightning, but he wasn’t sure if they were what made Feliciano grow anxious. His trembling shoulders were scrunched in as he continued to stare into space, appearing as if he were ready to cry. “Feliciano?”  He got closer and slowly reached for him. Ludwig called out to him again, taking his hand gently.

 _“Feliciano. Ti sono vicino.”_ Ludwig said as he squeezed his hand. “ _Sono con te._ ” It seemed that speaking in Italian broke through to him better. He said it again: “I’m here with you. I’m here.” He continued to say comforting things to Feliciano until he stopped shaking.

               There was a long pause before Feliciano had recovered. He held on to Ludwig’s hand tightly as if he were his lifeline. He looked to the floor with shame. “I-I’m sorry, Ludwig.” He spoke breathily, trying to pull himself together. “I’m sorry… I don’t—“

              “There’s no need to apologize.” Ludwig said calmly. “It’s not your fault.” He released him and tried looking him in the eyes, but Feliciano refused to look up at him. “Are you feeling better? Is there anything I can do?”

              “I-is it… okay if I…” He hesitated for a second as if he was deciding whether or not to continue his sentence.  _This is so embarrassing! Why did it have to be now of all times?!_ Thunder roared outside and the sky flashed with light once more. Something caught in Feliciano’s breath and he winced again. He tried with all his might to not put his hands to his ears, for that would be admitting defeat. And that’s not how he was trained. _You have to pull through it, Feliciano. This is nothing, after all. It’s just thunder._ And yet, he knew that just one more clap of thunder could bring him back to that place he really didn’t want to go back to. He hated thunder. He hated how it forced him to remember.

              Ludwig was about to speak, but before he could, Feliciano suddenly bolted his head up and blurted out, “Can we sleep together?”

 _Idiota! Of course he won’t let me after all that I did earlier!_ Feliciano began to blush and beat himself up over his impulsiveness as he stared down at the bed.  _I’m sure there’s somewhere else I could sleep instead._ Another roll of thunder sounded in the sky and distressed him once more. _Here we go_ , he tensed up, but Ludwig distracted him.

              “Of course.” He gently took his hand and squeezed it for a few seconds.

              “Eh?” He fought off the wave of memory clouding his thoughts and looked up to exchange incredulous expressions. Ludwig’s expression seemed to be that of a response to someone asking if the sun was in the sky when it was sunny outside.

              “…It’s not like I can stop you from slipping in next to me during the night anyway.” He lightly shrugged with a comforting smile. Not to mention, the house only had one bed. Feliciano couldn’t believe his ears. His eyes began to water and it appeared as though he was ready to break down crying.

              “Thank you, Ludwig!” He tackled the taller man, making him involuntarily grunt at the impact. “Thank you for being here.” His tone had softened. “And about earlier… Thank you for not thinking I’m disgusting! I was so scared you would start to hate me and never want to see me again!” He began nuzzling his face into the side of Ludwig’s head while his arms were folded around his neck, interrupting his breathing. To Feliciano, however, this embrace was like a breath of fresh air.

              It took Ludwig a moment to get Feliciano off of him. “Feliciano, you’re far from that. I thought I told you I could never hate you.” He reminded him gently. “Anyway, why don’t you get ready for bed?”

              He sniffled. “Yes, captain!” He gave a salute. “Thank you so much, Ludwig!”

 

“Goodnight.”

              Ludwig found himself caught up in another night he would spend with Feliciano in bed with him, practically naked except for the shirt he lent him. He had been getting used to it, but in all honestly, he didn’t mind having Feliciano with him now. …Even if he wasn’t fully clothed.

              There was something unusual about their arrangement this night, however. The two were facing each other under the sheets as they had done sometimes, but Feliciano was uncharacteristically curled up into a ball, unsuccessfully trying to ignore the storm outside. Ludwig watched with increasing worry. _Say something!_ He internally commanded himself.

              “How come you’re afraid of thunder?” Blue eyes widened. Ludwig regretted his words as soon as they were spoken. Feliciano’s tense form loosened up a little to process his response. Taking his hands off of his ears, he kept his fingers in a tight fist on the mattress space between them. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” His face expressed a tinge of guilt as he looked away.

              “It’s okay.” Feliciano smiled reassuringly. “It’s just that the loud sound—“He flinched again as another clap of thunder roared in the distance. “…reminds me of the war.” He admitted softly. “I happened to be near or in some very… unlucky towns… A lot more than twice.” His brows were knitted together as he stared at his balled up fist. He hated how thunder would always force his mind back to those days that seemed so long ago, yet too close for comfort.

              In response, Ludwig raised an eyebrow at the cowering form before him that was Feliciano. He couldn’t just lay there and allow him to stay the way he was, so he decided to do something he never thought he would.

              It was comforting to just be by Ludwig’s side, it really was. Feliciano, however, was rather embarrassed at how pathetic he must have seemed to Ludwig. Perhaps he used up all of his courage in the moment that he confessed his feelings. There had to be a way to calm down somehow, but before he could even begin to think of one, he felt an intense warmth surround him. Feliciano opened his scrunched eyes to find that Ludwig had moved himself much closer and now had wrapped an arm around him.

 

              There. He did it. His face was blushing and his pulse was rushing. It was a lightly calculated risk, but he did it. It was similar to what he had done on the train, yet this was another step further.  “Is this… okay?” he asked. He was holding Feliciano in an embrace, making sure his arm that was around him wasn’t gripping too tightly or not enough. Holding him had worked on the train, especially when he held his hand, so hopefully this would work now. He left enough room for his bedmate’s slender arm and his own. He had never been this close to someone in bed, but if it helped comfort Feliciano, then it was fine with him. Not to mention, being this close to him like this excited him as much as his tired body allowed.

 

              This gesture brought some composure to Feliciano as he began to relax and smile at Ludwig’s awkward attempt to comfort him. It was so calming, this warmth of his. He hummed and nodded in confirmation as he saw his bedmate’s expression. Ludwig was tense again. “Thank you, Ludwig. You can make yourself comfortable if you want.” He found himself trying with all his might to suppress a giggle. “Why don’t _you_ relax now?” In his focus on trying to get Ludwig to be comfortable, he had almost completely forgotten about his worries and eased up.

              After looking into Feliciano’s eyes for assurance, Ludwig adjusted himself into a better position and looked to him to make sure he was okay. The two relaxed themselves and enjoyed each other’s warmth in the bedroom only lit by a handful of candles.

              Then he began to whisper. “Ludwig,” he looked into his eyes with a little glint of mischief. “I’m gonna try something.”

              At this, he became curious, but his curiosity was fulfilled before he could form any questions in his mind. In a few short movements, Ludwig found Feliciano’s legs tangled in his own. A slender right hand found its way into a strong left hand lying on the mattress and entwined both of their fingers. Blushing furiously, he looked away as Feliciano smiled and let out a little giggle. “Is _this_ okay?”

              “…I…” Struggling to find the words, his blue eyes began to dart everywhere but in Feliciano’s direction. He examined their position in the limited amount of light that they had. With a sigh, he admitted. “It’s… fine.” That sent a smile beaming from his expression.

              “I’m glad!” Happiness clearly painted his words. “ _Buona notte_ , Ludwig!”  _Ti amo_ , he thought.

              “Goodnight.”

              Hand in hand that night, the exhaustion from the day had caught up to them and the two slept through the rest of the storm.

              Or at least Feliciano thought they did.

              Ludwig spent a large amount of the night gazing at Feliciano’s resting figure and contemplating how he really felt about him.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to my favorite dead gay Greek boys. 
> 
> Also, Kurt Weill has some great music that oddly fits this story on a terrifyingly accurate level. (I wrote this story before I discovered its existence. The song is called "Speak Low," by the way. {https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgQJvNhuiAE}) Also, brownie points to anyone who gets the reference to an Owl City song. 
> 
> Buckle in your rainbow-colored seatbelts, everyone.


	7. Home, huh?

A gentle breeze filled the calm sky.

              The two travelers enjoyed the crisp post-storm air as they sat in the newly watered flowery field with their jackets in between them and the damp ground. After such an eventful day prior, Rome could wait for one more day. Feliciano had been busy picking the wildflowers and had the beginnings of a flower chain in his hands. His humming stopped as he heard his companion softly utter something.

              “…Gentle, huh?”

              “Did you say something?” Feliciano turned around to his pondering friend who sat not-too-far-away from where he was picking flowers.

              “I was just thinking… I’ve never really met any easy-going people like you who are... as uh, gentle… as you are.” A pensive expression was on his face as he enjoyed the sight of the dew-covered foliage.

              Feliciano’s smile remained on his face. “So then, ‘soft,’ you mean?” He sat down next to Ludwig and put his project on his lap.

              “…Yeah. It’s really… unusual for someone like me.” He crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. “It seems like I still have a lot to learn.” Ludwig’s musings were halted when he watched Feliciano pierce holes in the stems of the flowers, wondering what he was doing.

              “What are you talking about? I think you’re a soft person too, Ludwig!” Ludwig gave a perplexed expression at his words. “Well, not exactly like me, but in your own way, I guess. I mean, think about what we’ve been through so far. I hope you haven’t forgotten all the things you’ve done for a scaredy-cat like me, because I haven’t!” Feliciano chuckled as he beamed at Ludwig. He sat himself closer and continued working on the flowers. “So I guess this means we’re just a couple of softies, huh?”

“…Right… I wonder about that…” Feliciano’s carefree smile remained as he picked up the now finished flower chain and placed it on Ludwig’s head. He placed himself back to his prior position, but this time, resting his head on Ludwig’s shoulder. Among the rolling hills in the distance, he could still see that more clouds were gathering in the sky. An old, poignant memory resurfaced from the back of his mind once more.

 

_The boy timidly placed a flower behind a young Feliciano’s ear. Looking nervous but determined, the boy declared, “No matter how many years go by, I'll always love you more than anyone else in the world! I’ll do whatever it takes to come back to you, I promise!” Before he could say anything, the boy had kissed him and ran off to join the group of people that was heading off to fight in Germany._

The boy never kept his promise.

 

              Feliciano looked back up to Ludwig and wondered for the hundredth time. He felt a slight pain in his chest and the back of his eyelids began to sting, so he shook the thought. “You know, I haven’t made one of those since I was _un piccolo ragazzo_ —a little boy.” He sat up and looked at Ludwig. “And you get the honor of having my first one after all these years!” The happiness returned within him as his mind came back into the present moment.

              “Oh… Thank you.” It was kind of strange, the notion that two grown young men were out in the Italian countryside, idling like children. But it felt nice for once, so he didn’t mind. “Where did you learn to make these, anyway?” Ludwig carefully removed the crown from his head to examine it. It was made quite nicely, he thought to himself.

              “My big brother Francis taught me.” Feliciano smiled, examining the flowers in Ludwig’s hands as he continued to lay his head on his shoulder. “We’re not related by blood, but he’s still like family to me. He’s from France! I haven’t seen him since the war, but I know he’s out there somewhere. He’s a very kind person, but he can be tough when he needs to be.”

              Ludwig responded with a nod and added, “Feliciano, you seem to remember a lot now.” A small smile of relief formed on his face. “I’m glad you do.”

              “That’s the thing about memories, though, Ludwig. They’re very troublesome. When I get one back, a bunch of others start flooding in with it.” Feliciano’s smile faded briefly as he fell into silence for a moment. “So… have you ever remembered anything from before the war?” He was now curious about Ludwig’s experience with losing memories.

              Ludwig thought for a bit. “It’s nothing too specific like yours, but I sort of remember the town where I grew up in with my brother. That town is only rubble now. It’s not easy to remember those missing years, especially after all this time. I don’t even know what I should remember.”

              Feliciano sat there pensively and took the flower chain to make a few adjustments. “Say, Ludwig… If there were some kind of magical way to remember your past, would you use it?”

              “Hm…” At that, Ludwig began to ponder, idly watching Feliciano’s hands tentatively adjust the flowers. “…I’m not so sure if I would. That’s a tough decision, considering that losing my memories made me who I am today. I don’t think remembering missing parts of my life would affect me too much. I would need time to think it over because it would be reckless to quickly make such a big decision.

              Feliciano felt a little wave of shame wash over him at that last sentence. He decided to change the subject. “Ludwig,” he lightly bumped his head on his friend’s shoulder to catch his attention.

              “Hm?”

              “Since we’re almost at Rome, what will you do when I find my brother?” The thought had been nagging at Feliciano’s conscience ever since he regained his memories, but he had pushed it aside until now. He saw that the notion had hit Ludwig with surprise as well.

              “Hm… I… haven’t put much thought into that yet.” His brows creased as the new thought of parting with Feliciano settled into his mind. It bothered him; the thought of not having Feliciano in his life felt strange, even if they had only been traveling together for a little less than a month. He took another moment to ponder. “I guess I’ll maybe find work somewhere else and continue traveling.”

              “Beh, that sounds like a plan! And then what?”

              “Hm… I’ll probably want to settle down and have my own house somewhere not too far from a city.” Feliciano placed the flowers back on Ludwig while he continued to think.  “I’d maybe like a dog or two.”

              “Beh, that sounds wonderful!” He remembered that Ludwig did not have as solid of a response when he first asked a similar question, making him more excited to hear that than he thought he would be. Feliciano truly felt that such a wonderful person like Ludwig deserved to live a life that was equally wonderful. _But what if…?  Just maybe…“_ Do you… maybe… have enough room for one more in that plan of yours?” He shyly asked.

               Ludwig’s heart leapt in his chest. Looking back at Feliciano, he saw that he really meant it. The thought of bringing Feliciano with him had crossed his mind before, but he knew that the main objective of their whole journey was to bring Feliciano home to his family, where he belonged. His family could definitely help him sort things out better than Ludwig knew he ever could. Maybe they could even help him clear up whatever trouble he was in. “You don’t want to stay in Rome with your brother?”

              “I want to stay with you, Ludwig.” He said firmly.

              “But you need to recover at home.”

              His expression remained unwavering. “I only really lived with my brother when we were very young, so he’s fine without me. I was originally going to Rome to visit him. Also, I promised I would help you find _your_ brother.” He leaned in closer. “Not to mention, I feel at home with you, Ludwig!” Once again, Feliciano’s sincere words pierced at Ludwig’s heart.

              “…Home, huh?” Ludwig sat quietly and thought for a moment. “Feliciano?”

              “Yes?”

              “Why did you choose me? …Don’t you have a girl or two that you like back home? Or a first love?” Feliciano hesitated and looked down at the ground, for Ludwig’s questions caught him off guard.

              “Well, I uh… actually had a first love, but…”

              “…But?”

              Feliciano hesitated. “It was… another boy.” He replied sheepishly.

              “Oh...” A gust of wind flew by them as they fell into silence. The atmosphere grew a little awkward and the two of them could feel the discomfort taking over.

              “Would you… like to learn how to make one of these?” He pointed at Ludwig’s head, implying the flower crown.

              “…Sure…”

              “Alright! I’ll go pick some flowers. Wait here a little bit, okay?”

              “Okay…” Ludwig sat there, watching Feliciano collect more flowers as he thought to himself. It felt very strange that this person—his friend— picking flowers before him had confessed his feelings for him only a matter of hours ago.

                _Since he confessed, I’ll need to give him an answer soon… Is it ‘no’? Well, I definitely don’t mind being with him either…_ _Then, is it ‘yes’?_ Just then, a few possible scenarios with the two of them popped into his mind. Feliciano feeding him a home-cooked meal again. _How nice that would be…_ Feliciano snuggling into his arms on a cold winter night by the fire. _Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad…_ Feliciano giving him “goodnight” kisses. However, the final thought had him flustered to the point where he yelled out, “WAIT, NO, I CAN’T DO THAT!!!”

              Feliciano immediately dropped the flowers and yelped, “Aaah!!! Sorry, we don’t need to, then!!!”

              “No, that’s not it!” He waved a hand in reassurance. “Go ahead, I was just… Ah, just continue what you were doing.” He sighed, feeling embarrassed about his outburst.

              “Alright…” Feliciano tried his best to even out the surprise from his voice. He turned back around to pick up the flowers he had dropped.

              Ludwig slipped back into his contemplations. _…Come to think of it, ever since I could remember, my life has been nothing but a cycle of mistrust and violence. But now that there’s someone like him…_ Ludwig had been staring off into space, but now looked at Feliciano in a different light.  _Thinking about it, it’s actually… really nice having him around… We both definitely care for each other…  Not to mention, he’s really attract—_ “WHAT AM I THINKING?!” Ludwig began to slap himself both physically and mentally. Again, Feliciano got scared and dropped the flowers he had been carrying to Ludwig. This time, though, he helped him pick them up as he delivered another apology. The two sat down and Feliciano began on the flower chain.

              All the while, Ludwig had been thinking deeply. He found that these feelings had crept up on him. He hadn’t known when this came to be, but all he knew was that he enjoyed spending his time with Feliciano more than anything else he could think of. He wanted to dry Feliciano’s tears when he cried. He enjoyed talking, sharing thoughts, even if it was just chatter. He also wanted to return that kiss that Feliciano stole, but he was too embarrassed to even admit it to himself.

              This quirky idiot who could barely even tie his own shoelaces and tripped on them if he didn’t; Ludwig couldn’t imagine living the rest of his life without him. Every day he spent with Feliciano, he felt like he finally had somewhere he belonged, a space that he alone could fill. Someone he could relate to and rely on. Even if he had to live without Feliciano, he knew he would feel content if he knew he was out there somewhere living happily. He had friends, a few buddies that he knew from the war that he would see now and then, but he just never connected with them the way he did with Feliciano. Now it was apparent how… _special_ Feliciano had been to him.

               It was amazing. All of these new feelings that overwhelmed his heart had flooded in over time without his notice and were now overflowing as they had made themselves known to him the more he thought about his relationship with his “friend.”

              But there was no way he could say all of that out loud!

 

              “There we go! It’s all finished now!” With pride, Feliciano held up the flower chain made by Ludwig with a little bit of his help.

              “Er… It’s not as good as yours, but it looks fine, I suppose…” Ludwig scrutinized the finished product. It wasn’t as neatly made as Feliciano’s, but it was still was able to serve its purpose.

              “I think it’s beautiful!” He smiled brightly and handed it back to Ludwig.

              “…Thank you.” The two sat there quietly staring at the chain they had made. _Well, it’s almost lunch time now, but… maybe I can give him an answer tomorrow._ He shook his head. _No! I can’t just leave it as it is!_ Ludwig began to grow anxious. He needed to convince himself to give a reply. It was only right that he reply as soon as he could. _It’s only right, it’s only right, it’s only right…_ “Feliciano.”

              “Yes?” Oh no. Ludwig wished he could’ve stayed silent longer to mentally prepare himself, but it was too late; he couldn’t go back now. Well, he could maybe change the subject, but… No! He had his mind set on this and he wasn’t going to back down! There was absolutely no other way. He had his answer and he was going to go through with it!

              “About what you said last night…” He could feel the heat rising in his face. His heart began to race. “Did you really mean it?” _Wait, no! That was a stupid question! Oh no, I already messed up! Nein! There’s no turning back now!_

              Feliciano suddenly caught his breath as he recalled the things he told Ludwig the previous night. “Of course!” He nervously removed his head from Ludwig’s shoulder and sat in his own space, preparing himself for whatever Ludwig wanted to say. They both spoke in a low volume and couldn’t manage to look up at each other. “What about it?”

              “Whenever I… think of you or when you get close or touch me, I feel some tightness here in my chest... and I feel happy…” He pointed to his chest as he spoke, barely daring to look to Feliciano. “That’s not just friendship, is it?” He timidly looked at Feliciano, who was obviously caught off guard by his words.

              “I… uh…” Feliciano stammered. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to recompose himself. There was now a certain gleam in his eyes that gave away that he was almost elated. “What else do you feel, Ludwig?” Feliciano realized that Ludwig needed help sorting out his feelings and he was now more determined than ever to help. “Take your time,” he gently smiled. “I’m listening.”

              After that, Ludwig slowly—and awkwardly—divulged his thoughts from earlier. He’d hoped it was coherent enough to understand. Feliciano listened carefully as his smile grew wider and wider.

              “I guess it’s similar to the way you feel… in a way… Now that I’ve put it into words…” Ludwig mused as he finished voicing his thoughts with a flushed face. He looked up from the ground, but his shyness returned his view to the ground. “I’m in love with you, aren’t I?”

              “I think so, Ludwig.” His voice was tiny now. Feliciano was awed by hearing all of this about himself. He held on to every word and it warmed his heart so much so that he was also blushing.

              “In that case…” Ludwig adjusted himself and waited for Feliciano to look him in the eyes.  When he finally did, he continued to speak. “If you’ll have me, then… Yes. I’m in love with you too.”

              “So you’re saying you want to…be together.” Feliciano spoke cautiously. Ludwig was completely flustered and couldn’t help but dart his eyes back to the ground and nod in confirmation. “As lovers…”

              “…Yes.”

              There was a silent pause until Ludwig felt Feliciano’s hand gently take his. He looked up to see Feliciano smiling gently. “Okay, then.” At that moment, Feliciano smiling the way he did, brimming with absolute bliss, was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

              “Ah…” was all Ludwig could say. The reciprocation of his feelings had unleashed an overwhelming flood of more new feelings that he had never known or experienced before. It took him a moment to completely process that this moment really just happened. He simply sat there, red in the face while Feliciano’s head was placed on his shoulder. After a while, he finally spoke. “So I guess… this makes us lovers, then?” _Lovers. Who would’ve thought?_ His first and only friend he knew so intimately would also become his first lover as well. He could barely wrap his head around that fact. “I-I’ve never been with someone like this, so I don’t think I’ll be able to meet up to your expectations… If I’m doing anything wrong, please just tell me and I—“

              “Ludwig! It’s okay, don’t worry!” Feliciano reassured him. “We can just act as we always do! Only now we can do more things like… Uh… We can kiss each other!!! On the lips!!! If you're okay with that, I mean. I guess we're both new at this, so we can take it slowly... I don't mind at all!” He looked to Ludwig for a response.

              “Ah…” He stared at the ground, feeling his heart continue to race. A pressing thought occurred to him and he looked Feliciano in the eyes. “Wait, but didn’t you just tell me that you had a first love? How could you be new to this?” Ludwig regretted asking, for Feliciano’s smile dampened, and the happy spark in his eyes dimmed almost immediately.

              “I did. But we were both very young back then.” He said softly. “We weren’t really even able to be together as you and I can be right now.” There was a hint of fondness in his tone. “By the time I realized my feelings, it was too late. The last time I saw him was when he left to fight in the war…” His voice had become very fragile, almost a whisper as his smile had completely faded. “I didn’t know that was the last time I’d see him. We never do, we never know which goodbye is the last. ”

              _That must be why he doesn’t like violence_ , Ludwig figured. “…I’m sorry to hear that.”

              “Thank you, Ludiwg. It’s all in the past now.” The two sat there in silence until Feliciano decided to break it. “Hey, Ludwig?”

              “Yes?”

              “Since we’re… _lovers_ , now…” He hesitated a little and looked at Ludwig to see how he would respond. “Do you mind if we kiss?”

              Ludwig’s eyes widened. “Kiss…?” _Is this really happening?_ He wondered to himself. He hoped this wasn’t just another dream he was having.

              “Yup! I want to kiss you. On the lips!” He said with resolve so strong that it sounded like an order.

              The thought of them actually kissing had gotten Ludwig entirely flustered. That’s right, being lovers entailed that they had to do things such as this! Being kissed without warning was one thing, but now that he had been notified beforehand, he grew anxious.  Ludwig had taken up this title of “lover” with Feliciano and there was no way he would back down. He used to be a captain in the German military, for God’s sake! He had survived countless deadly situations and had killed people without batting an eye! Such a task in comparison was so simple, and yet all that paled in comparison to now. Ludwig looked at Feliciano’s patient expression and his eyes wandered down to his lips. Biting his own bottom lip, his eyes grew even wider and his heart began to beat rapidly in his chest.

              Feliciano watched as Ludwig’s expressions evolved after his request. It was amusing, to say the least. Looking at his lover’s current expression, Ludwig held the resemblance of an intimidated puppy in his eyes.

              “I-I’m not even sure how to do it properly.” He admitted earnestly.

              Seeing Ludwig flustered like this was an interesting change for Feliciano to see for once. His smile widened even further. “Don’t worry about it, just follow what I do!” He said reassuringly. “We’ll take it slowly. Now close your eyes.” Ludwig gulped and followed suit, nodding to signify that he was ready.

              Feliciano slowly moved closer to Ludwig, absolutely focused on him. His heart was also racing, for he was extremely excited to finally be sharing a first real kiss with Ludwig. He savored every second of this moment, for this was now the most important and only thing in the world to the two of them. He slowly caressed his flushed cheek and then held his chin as he began to bring their lips together.

              Tilting his head a little, Feliciano delivered a gentle kiss to Ludwig’s lips. He pushed deeper, urging his partner to do the same. Cautiously, Ludwig followed his lead and felt his heart race even faster as he continued to press deeper into the kiss. A few seconds passed, and the two let go, both sharing the same exhilaration from their first kiss.

              “Wow,” Feliciano sat down, feeling a little breathless and above the clouds, “that was…” He checked to see how Ludwig was faring. His blue eyes were widened with surprise, but upon further examination, Feliciano could tell from the gleam in his eyes that Ludwig enjoyed it as much as he did. The excitement and giddiness he felt made him giggle a little bit. “I love you, Ludwig.” Feliciano spoke as he gazed into his lover’s eyes which seemed to be asking for more.

              “I ah… love you too.” He shyly replied. And so, Feliciano complied and delivered another kiss to his lips, this time being just as exciting as the time before. Ludwig was starting to get the hang of it, which went encouragingly acknowledged.

              Ludwig was so glad to be able to share such a moment and allow his decrypted feelings for Feliciano to be expressed in such a way. Telling him he loved him felt so very right. It was exciting to say and even more exciting to see how the person he loved reacted to those words.

              Everything in the world felt better, brighter, even. These feelings of companionship that he held had turned into love along the way and it took a lot of awkwardness to figure that out, but he wouldn’t have had it any other way. His only friend—his best friend—was now his lover. It was strange, yet it felt more wonderful than it felt weird. He never really thought that love for someone was something he would get the opportunity to feel in his lifetime, but here he was.

              Out of all the journeys he had been through, Ludwig felt in his heart that this journey with Feliciano was the most exciting and important to him, for in a matter of weeks, he had experienced more strange, yet wonderful things with him than he ever thought he would be able to, which changed his outlook on the world from something unstable and indifferent to something kinder and more hopeful now that he knew that it was possible to feel such overwhelming happiness.

              He could definitely get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone can spot the dialogue I borrowed from canon, extra brownie points for you!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed that fluff, everyone. We are now back to our regularly scheduled angst.


	8. Old Friends

Finally, the day came.

              Today was the day that the two decided that they would finally make it to Rome so they could find where Feliciano was meant to go. And here they were now, in the midst of the busy city.

              “What do you think of it, Ludwig?” Feliciano, who had been bouncily walking in front of him, now turned on his heel to see how he was doing. They had arrived to the city early in the morning and Feliciano had been giving Ludwig a tour of his nation’s capital with a bounce in his every step as he led him around happily. The more they walked around, the more he started to recall every corner and street in the city. The feeling of the city, the energy of its people, the beautiful, familiar buildings with centuries of history in their walls, all of it felt like visiting a dear old friend.

Currently, they were in front of the Colosseum, with Ludwig standing there in awe as he gaped at the famous structure.

              “I’ve seen it in pictures and I’ve read about it, but…” He stood there taking in the sight of the enormous structure. “…To be able to see it in person is…” Seeing the world-famous Colosseum with his own two eyes had absolutely made Ludwig’s day, for he had an innate fascination with Italian culture which was now being fulfilled thanks to Feliciano.

              “Oh, this old thing?” He asked teasingly. “It was one of my favorite places to go with my brother when we were little.” Feliciano said fondly. “It still looks the same as ever. I’m glad the war hasn’t ruined it.” He looked at Ludwig’s expression and saw the excitement in his eyes. “Would you like to go inside? I’ll give you the grand tour. I’ll even show you where I tripped and lost my first tooth!”

              “You what now…?”

              “ _Andiamo_ , let’s go!”

 

After sifting through tourists and getting a tour time, the two walked around the structure.

              “Yup! But you’ve got to watch out for pickpockets too, Ludwig! If someone even brushes against you around here, they’ve probably stolen something. It happened to me when I was little and I cried because that was my snack money from my _nonno_.” He chuckled at the memory. More than the culture, Feliciano had been talking about all the little bits of knowledge about the city that only Romans knew, such as the best places to get the best pasta and what roads were the best shortcuts to popular places.

              Although he hadn’t been there in a while, Feliciano noticed that the city was still the same as ever, only with different faces filling the streets. Amongst the crowd, however, was one familiar face, which sent a wave of dread into his heart. Turning to Ludwig, he was thankful that he hadn’t noticed his oncoming panic. “Hey, Ludwig!” Feliciano tugged at his sleeve. “We could go inside that other historical building if you like! There are a lot of things to see inside too!” Grabbing his hand, Feliciano pulled him through the crowd, hoping to God that the owner of that familiar face did not spot him.

              “Feliciano?”

              However, it was too late. The familiar person was too quick on their feet. Just when Feliciano thought the coast was clear, he was mistaken.

 

              The two travelers turned around to see a tall, well-built man with a well-trimmed beard and bright green eyes approaching them quickly. As he became more visible, it became more obvious how much this man stood out. The style of his clothing was significantly similar to the traditional Turkish clothing that Ludwig had seen as a soldier on duty, so it was safe to assume he was from Turkey. The man wore an outfit that mostly consisted of off-white cloth with subtle gold accents. Around his waist was a colorfully patterned olive green sash with a brown layered leather belt that had a number of pouches. A different belt went across his chest, connecting from his waist to a shoulder guard.  Overall, his outfit was rather elaborate, which suggested that he had status and traveling experience.

 

              Neither of them noticed the uneasiness that Feliciano was trying to contain. “ _Ciao ciao_ , Sadık! I haven’t seen you in such a long time! What brings you here?” Feliciano approached the man without any reservation, leaving Ludwig to follow behind with the impression that he must be an old friend.

              “So it _is_ you!” The taller man wore a big smile on his face as he greeted his old friend by hugging him and lifting him up for a brief second. “It’s been years! I almost thought I’d never see you again! Where did you run off to, anyway?”

              “Oh, I’ve just been here and there,” he smiled lightheartedly. He was truly glad to see that he was alive and well all these years since the war, but this was simply not the right time for them to talk with Ludwig around. Sadık had no idea that Feliciano was hiding something, so even one simple word could raise several undesired questions. Nonetheless, he continued with a smile and turned his head to Ludwig. “This is Ludwig. We’ve been traveling together for a while now.” The two taller men exchanged a brief greeting and Sadık looked back to Feliciano with an eyebrow raised.

              “So you two have been sightseeing around these days? That sounds great!” He relaxed his position and gave an amused smile. “At any rate, you sure seem to have mellowed out now, huh? You used to be pretty wild back then!”

              At that, Feliciano chuckled once more and scratched the back of his head. “Oh yeah, huh.” The discomfort was now growing apparent on his expression.

              “You were what?” Ludwig was taken aback. Did he hear him correctly? Maybe he meant all the climbing Feliciano had the strange habit of doing. Yeah, that’s probably what he meant. Sadık nodded in reply.

              “Oh it’s nothing—“

              “Yeah! You know, back then when I fought against him, he beat me up pretty badly!” He laughed as he rubbed his chin, recalling the memory fondly.

              Ludwig looked him up and down. “ _Feliciano_ did?!” This man had to be twice—maybe even three times his size! …Nevermind about the climbing.

              “This brat here took me down singlehandedly, even.” Sadık looked to Feliciano. “You were almost like a _demon_ back then, you sly bastard!” He flicked the shorter man on the forehead playfully and he smiled in response.

              Ludwig was in absolute disbelief. “ _Feliciano_ was….?”

              “Yeah, he never told you? I mean after all, this brat here ended the w—“

              “Oh, look at the time!” Feliciano interrupted, “It’s almost our tour time to go _nel Colosseo_!” He motioned towards the humungous Roman structure that people were going in and out of. “How about we catch up another time?”

              “Hm?” Sadık gave Feliciano an inquisitive look, and glanced over to Ludwig. As soon as he glanced back to his old friend, he understood. “Oh, alright! I didn’t mean to keep you! Sorry about that, kid!” He placed a hand on Feliciano’s shoulder and looked him directly in the eyes. “I’m expecting to catch up with you soon, okay? I’m not letting you off that easily!” A grin was on his face, but there was an edge of assertiveness in his tone. “You’ll know where to find me.”

              “Sure thing!” Feliciano replied cheerfully. With that, they exchanged goodbyes and parted ways. Feliciano’s sigh of relief for that close call went unnoticed by Ludwig and the couple continued on their way to the tour.

              Feliciano enjoyed seeing how interested in every piece of the colossal ancient structure he was. Watching him meticulously read the descriptions and even going as far as taking notes from the tour guides made the visit worthwhile to him. It felt wonderful to finally enjoy something together as a first date and not a dangerous journey.

              …For the most part, at least. Part of him kept an eye out for any other old friends that he might run into.

 

_Roderich had finished the last few measures of his piano piece when a now adolescent Feliciano bade for his attention._

_“Roderich?” The young man turned to Feliciano who had been sitting on the stool next to him, listening to him play. It was clear to see by his expression that something was weighing down heavily on his mind. “How much longer do you think the war will be?” The question caused the Austrian to frown._

_“It all depends on a lot of things, I suppose.” He said as he looked out the window. “You still miss him, don’t you?” Feliciano sighed and a frown formed on his lips._

_“…Yeah.” For a while, a number of regrets had been washing over Feliciano in regards to the boy who had left him with a gentle kiss, a flower, and several unanswered questions before he went off to fight in the war so long ago._

_After a few letters hurriedly written and the passage of time, they had received no word of the boy at all. Only upon his extensive absence did Feliciano realize how much more that boy meant to him. How much he missed the time he spent with that shy boy who never spoke of his own name or where he came from. Feliciano’s heart ached every time he wondered if the day they departed may have been the last time he would ever see him. Such a kind, gentle boy didn’t deserve to be swallowed up by such a cruel world. “What exactly does the war ending depend on?”_

_Roderich thought for a second. “To simply put it, it depends on which side has the upper hand. If the right kinds of people are on one side, then the winner will be determined and the war will end sooner.”_

_“Is that why Miss Elizabeta left to fight too?”_

_“…Yes, she wants to use her skills to help end the war as soon as possible.”_

_“Oh…” A pensive expression was placed on Feliciano’s face. “Do you want the war to end as soon as possible too?”_

_“Just as much as Elizabeta does.” Staring at the foliage outside his house, Roderich was obviously worrying for the young Hungarian woman. Feliciano could see in his eyes that he missed her terribly. Roderich said that Elizabeta was an indispensable force that was necessary to end the war, yet he couldn’t help but worry about how she was doing. It was painful for both of them to have to stay behind and painstakingly wait for inconsistent letters. Caught up in his quandary, Roderich did not take notice of the boy’s gathering determination._

_‘Mamma, papà, nonno, Lovino, the boy, and even Miss Elizabeta. Something is wrong with this world if all of these good people have to keep leaving. This needs to stop.’ “I want to help too.” Feliciano spoke with steadfast determination. “I don’t want to lose anyone else to this war, so…” Looking Roderich directly in the eyes, his determination shone brightly. “My nonno taught me and Lovi how to defend ourselves, but now I want to learn how to really fight.”_

_Roderich raised an eyebrow. He seemed rather pleased to see that this boy before him held such a passionate fire in his eyes. “I must warn you, I am not a gentle teacher and this life you’re asking to be a part of isn’t easy. Be sure that this is what you want.”_

_“I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and I’m very sure! I want to help Miss Elizabeta end the war too. I want to change things myself.”_

_Feliciano’s final statement made Roderich smile with nostalgia. “You know, you remind me a lot of your groβvater... I suppose it can’t be helped.” While getting up and closing the piano, he continued. “We’ll start tomorrow. Do not think I will go easy on you just because you are the grandson of my mentor. You will be trained just as he trained me.” Feliciano wanted nothing less from him, for it was Roderich’s duty, after all, to stay behind and mentor the next generation of the Brotherhood. “You will be on a strict regimen and I will allow no compromises.”_

_Growing excited, Feliciano saluted his new mentor. “Yes, sir!”_

“Feliciano?”

              There was no reply.  Ludwig looked around for his friend—no, lover, who was nowhere to be found. He stayed where he was, hoping that he would come back, but Feliciano was completely out of sight.

              It was then that he realized that Feliciano was the only thing keeping him from feeling alone in the vast Italian city. He walked around some more and stood there scanning the area for that head of auburn hair and distinctive curl that he knew so well, but it was to no avail. The last thing he had heard from Feliciano was “How about over there?”

God, if only he had seen the direction Feliciano pointed to before he darted off! Ludwig ceased gritting his teeth out of worry and took a deep breath. This was almost like the time he lost him in Vienna. At least he knew that Feliciano would most likely stay within the general area once he noticed that they got separated. Going off of that, Ludwig continued his search.

              Not too far away, Feliciano was crouched on a rooftop surveying the area. He stood at the very edge of the tall structure, quickly taking in the nostalgia of the view. He searched the crowd of people for a specific head of blond hair amongst the sea of people in the city with the precision of an eagle searching for its prey. However, said blond had already caught sight of him and was heading in his direction.

              As soon as he reached the ground once more, the blond man approached him filled with concern and delight. “Feliciano! It’s really you, _mon ami!_ ” The Frenchman ran over to the Italian, warmly embracing him and kissing him on both cheeks.

              “Francis! I’m so glad to see you!” Feliciano smiled sincerely as he reciprocated his comrade’s greeting. Francis Bonnefoy was a handsome man in his late twenties with wavy, light ash-blond hair that was tied in a loose ponytail which sat on his shoulder. He wore fashionable clothing that contained elegant hues of blue and red with small accents of gold, which suggested status. Francis’s particular outfit, however, had a few differences from most other wealthy Frenchmen, for his coat was hooded and he had a some subtle alterations to his clothing for holding weapons that could only be found if one were to specifically be looking for them.

              “I haven’t seen you in so long! Where have you been all this time?” His French accent was still a bit heavy as Feliciano remembered it to be. “You never contacted any of us after the war! I was so worried that something terrible happened to you!” Yes, this was certainly the same Francis that Feliciano had known since he was very young, for the dramatic flair in the Frenchman’s intonation was ever present. “Don’t tell me you’ve been up to something naughty all this time!” He winked one of his indigo eyes and placed a hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

              Feliciano chuckled. “Of course not!” Francis removed his hand from Feliciano’s shoulder and waited for him to give more details, but Feliciano avoided doing so. “Since you’re here, I assume you have something you need to tell me. Please make it quick, I’m actually with someone and he’s looking for me right now.” Feliciano looked behind himself in the general direction that he knew Ludwig to be in with a tinge of worry.

              At this, Francis raised an eyebrow. Rubbing the stubble on his chin, he asked, “Do you mean that man I saw you with earlier when you noticed me?” Francis had been observing Feliciano for a while before he took notice. At his question, Feliciano nodded in confirmation. Francis gave a pondering look. “For some reason, I get the feeling that I have crossed paths with him before…” He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but the familiarity of that young man caused a feeling of uneasiness within him.

              “Well, he fought in the war… ” Feliciano offered.

              A gasp came from Francis’s lips. “He looks German. Is he German?”

              “Yes. Why does that matter?”

              “ _Mon Dieu!_ What are you doing with a former German soldier?! Does he not know who you are?!” Feliciano placed a finger before his lips to remind his old friend to keep their voices at a lower volume.

              “It’s okay, Francis! He’s a good man, trust me! He’s saved me in some really tight situations.” He assured with absolute certainty. Francis, however, remained a bit skeptical.

              “What is his name?”

              “Ludwig.”

              “Ludwig…?” Francis pressed on for the German’s surname, but Feliciano did not have an answer, causing a slight frown to form on his face.

“Hm, I never thought of asking him.”

              “What? Why not?”

              “When we met, I only gave him my first name, so maybe he only gave his first name too… Also, you know how the war left so many kids without families, so it’s not polite to assume that he knows his surname, I guess...” Feliciano began to fidget. “…Aaand he might not even know his last name because he lost his memories from getting injured in battle...” At that moment, Francis’s eyebrows knitted together as he looked down.

               “It can’t be…” Francis mumbled. _I saw the wound…_

              “Is something wrong, Francis? What are you trying to say?” Feliciano grew concerned as Francis placed a hand over his mouth, looking relieved as if a burden had been lifted.

              “Years ago, there was a boy I fought… That looked just like—“Francis snapped out of his state of shock and he grabbed the younger man’s shoulders. He would have to put that thought aside, for there were more pressing matters at hand. “Nevermind that, we’ll discuss it later. Are you the reason why Lovino told us to come here?”

              “Yes. I found it.”

              “You mean—“

              He nodded. “I’ll bring it to Lovino once I’m done with some personal business.” At this, Francis gave a wary look. “Sadık is also somewhere in the city. Could you tell him and whoever else is nearby to meet with us tonight? You know where.”

              “Of course, I understand.”

 

“How come you always go where I can’t find you?”

              Ludwig sighed as he patted Feliciano on the head. “At least let me know where you’re going to run off to, okay?”

              The two were back in their hotel room getting ready for bed after the day’s adventures. “Haha, sorry about that, Ludwig!” Feliciano smiled. “I stayed in the area like you told me to, at least.” Feliciano really had stayed in the area, but he still felt a tinge of guilt for running off to secretly meet with Francis.

              “ _Ja_. Thank you for that.” Ludwig smiled back. “You didn’t run into any trouble, though, right?” Feliciano shook his head in reply. “I’m glad. Now stop making me worry about you already.”

              “I can’t guarantee that.” He smiled and snuggled closer to his lover.

              “Also…” Ludwig pulled up the bed sheets to cover the two of them. “Before we found each other, I found someone that looked almost exactly like you in the city.”

              “What, really?!” Feliciano propped himself up on his elbows, now giving his undivided attention. “Did he have a curl like mine, but up here?” Feliciano pointed to the front of his head.

              Ludwig nodded. “I went up to him, thinking it was you at first, but instead he flinched and started to yell at me.” Ludwig recalled the strange behavior of the young Italian man vividly.

              “Oh, sorry about that! You must’ve been so confused!” Feliciano giggled. “I can’t believe you ran into Lovino!” He smiled and laid back in bed, staring at the ceiling. “I’m glad to hear my big brother is still the same.” Getting back into snuggling position, he talked into the other man’s chest. “Sorry about that, Ludwig. That’s just how he is. Maybe we’ll find him tomorrow and clear that up.” Wrapping his arms around his lover, they kissed and he began to doze off. “Goodnight.” His sleepy voice made his last word sound as if he were singing the end of a song.

              The two drifted off to sleep peacefully as the clouds gathered in the night sky.

 

Or so Ludwig thought they did.

              “Ludwig?” Feliciano whispered. He moved around a little to see if he would wake up. Feliciano had laid there in the warmth of his lover’s arms for a few hours to make sure that he was sound asleep, staying conscious himself for most of the time.

              He gazed at Ludwig’s beautiful face in the pale moonlight and began to wonder why Francis seemed to know who Ludwig was and why he appeared uneasy after he told Francis about him. Come to think of it, Elizabeta had also mentioned him seeming familiar... However, he did not have time to dwell upon such a strange coincidence, for he had somewhere he needed to be.

              With the utmost care, Feliciano slipped out of Ludwig’s arms and got ready for his departure. Bringing his bag, he opened the window, checked on him once more, and then silently climbed outside.

              Feliciano had chosen this certain hotel because of its location and structure. He knew the building well enough to know that he could safely climb to the rooftops without worrying about unwanted attention. After donning his hood that casted a shadow over his face, the nimble young man quietly made his way to a place he knew well.

              His trip there, however, did not go as easily as he had thought it would. In the distance, he saw a few more figures standing on the rooftops. He couldn’t tell who they were, so Feliciano decided to proceed with the utmost caution.

 

 

Meanwhile, Ludwig slightly awoke to find Feliciano missing.

 _Where did he go this time?_ He sat up in bed and searched around the room. The bathroom light was on and he assumed it was him in there, so he sighed and went back to sleep, not noticing that the window had been slightly ajar.

 

 

Feliciano’s attempts at stealth were sadly in vain.

              This was made certain due to the fact that he was now running and leaping from rooftop to rooftop, avoiding the group of men attempting to either capture, harm, or do both to him. In his mind, he hoped and prayed that he could outrun them like he had done pretty much every other time. This was his ploy. He was an agile one, so nobody could catch him. He hated violence and this was his best and favorite way to literally run away from it.

              “He’s getting away!” A voice yelled in the distance. Music to his ears. The sound of an arrow barely flitting by him, however, was not. _So they were using arrows, huh? Clever._ The loud bang of a gun in the dead of night would certainly draw unwanted attention. So these brutes were shooting at him? He had a solution for that too, and it involved running every which way in unpredictable patterns to confuse the enemy in hopes that they wouldn’t know where to aim. A zigzag here and a somersault there usually did the trick and he would be out of sight in no time at all.

              However, as good as his technique of being unpredictable was, there was one major flaw: it was unpredictable. Although he was well-versed in creating unpredictability, he was certainly not exempt from succumbing to it. Feliciano stopped in his tracks to check on his progress and saw that they were too far away to shoot at him. He smiled and made a turn to continue on his way, but lost his footing and fell flat on his face upon the roof of some unsuspecting person’s business establishment. This was witnessed by Feliciano’s pursuers and they called out in a relay to one another, “He slipped! Get him!”

              _Che disastro!_ He lay limp on the rooftop for a moment as if giving up, but in a second, sprang back to his feet, continuing to run with a fresh bruise on his forehead and wiping the tears in his eyes.

 

Even though he had lost his pursuers a while ago, Feliciano’s heart was still pounding.

              He had finally reached the entrance to a place he was all too familiar with. It was a simple building among a vast number of similar buildings, but what lay inside was far beyond simplicity.

              Taking a deep breath, Feliciano looked and listened around himself in the dark alleyway for anyone that could be close by. The crisp night air felt refreshing on his heated skin. He sat down on the floor for a moment to gather his bearings. He certainly needed it after running, climbing, and hanging off of buildings for the previous half hour. Gazing at the sky, he sighed and wondered how messy things were about to become.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Yikes-O-Meter has begun to go off. Watch out, folks!
> 
> Fun fact: The actual canon scene where Turkey tells Germany that Italy beat him up pretty badly back in the day is what inspired this fic. Thanks, Turkey!
> 
> Also, Turkey and France's outfits are based off of more modernized versions of Yusuf Tazim and Arno Dorian's outfits respectively.


	9. Different Plans

Lovino Vargas was not a very sentimental young man.

              Despite his delicate features that closely resembled that of his younger brother’s, he held quite a tough exterior. He commanded respect from his colleagues and skillfully beat it out of anyone who dared to cross his path. He would often be seen with an almost permanent frown on his face and a gaze that remained piercing and vigilant. However, when his younger brother walked through the door, his demeanor changed into something quite rare.

              The door opened and in walked the young man taking off his hood. The moment he saw a familiar curl pop out from behind it followed by a face that greatly resembled his own, the world stopped. “ _Ciao_?” An uncertain voice rang from the young man.

              “Feliciano!!!” Lovino dropped the glass he was holding at the bar counter and ran across the room to come and greet his brother in an embrace. The few patrons and bartender at the bar were silenced as they observed the unusual disposition of the usually short-tempered young man. Lovino’s smile quickly phased into a scowl and he grabbed his brother by the sleeve so he could bring him through the door behind the bar to gain more privacy. He snapped his finger and pointed at the bartender who was already sweeping up Lovino’s mess. “You,” he said sternly, “take care of things.” The young man nodded at his boss and the brothers proceeded inside the door where the backroom was.

              Lovino rolled up his sleeve and opened a secret door behind a barrel of wine in the corner of the room with his own hidden blade and Feliciano obediently followed. Behind the door was a case of stone stairs that went down into another underground room. The room was much larger than the bar itself and exhibited more extravagant architecture in comparison. The room was full of bookshelves of ancient texts and priceless artifacts on display. This special place served many purposes and many people before them as one of many bases for members of the Brotherhood. _It still looks the same after all these years_ , Feliciano thought to himself.

              “Now, where the _HELL_ have you been!?”Lovino grabbed his brother by the shoulders and looked him square in his widened eyes. “Did you get my letter? You took a lot longer than you said you would. I was getting worried, idiot!” Lovino now looked to the floor with a flush on his face from his overflowing emotions that he was trying to contain without much success.

              At that, Feliciano smiled and embraced his older brother. “Lovi! I’m so glad to see you!” He let go and continued, “A lot of things got in the way of me getting here. Mostly the trains, though. I know I’m a few days late from when I said I’d be here and I’m sorry to worry you.” He said apologetically.

              “Seriously, you took so damned long that I was beginning to think you changed your mind... Or something worse.” He huffed and crossed his arms. “What exactly kept you, any--” Lovino grabbed his little brother’s face, for he noticed a small red bruise on his forehead. “And how did _this_ happen?” Feliciano could tell that his brother was trying to hide the worry in his voice as he spoke.

               “Templars, of course…” Felicano fixed his hair to cover up the bruise on his forehead as he spoke with a tone that was rather matter-of-fact. “…And other things. Don’t worry about the bruise, I just slipped on the way here.” He lightly chuckled. “Anyway, it’s a long story, but I have the piece.”

              “ _Ce l’hai?!_ You have the Key of Life?!” There was surprise in his voice. “You didn’t mess with it, did you?”

              “ _Sì._ But I kind of _—_ “ His sentence was interrupted by Lovino’s sharp voice.

              “Hold on, save that for later. I need to call everyone and tell them that you’re finally here.” Lovino left his brother in the large study of the Brotherhood’s base so he could retrieve the other leaders who were currently in the building as well.

              Feliciano slightly frowned as he watched his brother dart away. _How am I going to tell him what happened?_

 

            After a while, Lovino came back with six other people with whom they were quite familiar with.

              These people were as extraordinary as they were important, for they were master assassins of the Brotherhood’s branches in their respective countries.  The first to appear after Lovino was Francis Bonnefoy of France, followed by Elizabeta Héderváry-Edelstein of Hungary, Roderich Edelstein of Austria, Sadık Adnan of Turkey, and two others that he had not seen for a very long time, which included Arthur Kirkland of England and Heracles Karpusi of Greece. The assassins calmly filed in and sat at the large table in the room, exchanging greetings before they began the discussion.

            Roderich went out of his way to pull Feliciano aside to talk with him privately. “I read your letter from Elizabeta. How are you now?” He asked carefully turning away at an angle to make sure nobody else in the room could see what he was saying. “Elizabeta and I were worried sick about what happened to you and that thing, so I took Lovino’s invitation to Rome after all.”

            Feliciano pursed his lips and looked off to the side. “You were right, _insegnante_. I didn’t like what I found, but I don’t regret it.” He solemnly looked him in the eyes. “I’m fine now. My memories are back, so there’s no need to worry.” He assured him, earning a look of relief. “I just want all of this business with the ankh to end quickly so we won’t have any more trouble than necessary.”

            Roderich’s brows drew together as he thought about his words. “That person you’re with, does he know anything about your mission? About who you are?” His question was greeted with silence and an ashamed glance to the side. “Feliciano, you know how reckless that is, don’t you?!” A hand was on the younger man’s shoulder.

            “I do, I just…” He took a deep breath. “Things just got more complicated than I thought they would. If I could just be done with all of this, then we won’t have to deal with this assassin business ever again.” His words seemed to sting a little to his former instructor as he retracted his hand.

            Lovino called out to everyone in the distance, “Okay, enough flirting! Let’s get this meeting done so I can catch up with my brother and get some shut-eye,  _capite?!_ ” 

            “In any case,” Roderich said evenly. “As much as you think you’re protecting him, hiding who you are will only make things worse. You do realize that if you want to keep him in your life, he would have to become one of us, don’t you?”

            Feliciano frowned. “There’s no need to bring him into this. I’ve retired, remember?”

            Roderich sighed. “You should know by now it’s not that simple. Either way, you can’t keep lying, Feliciano. He needs to know about us, it’s only fair. If not, then he could be used against us. More specifically, against you. Is that what you want for him?”

            Feliciano hated to hear these words. His worries were being flung right at him and he had to acknowledge them, but he was stubborn enough to believe that he could make it work. “It’s not going to happen.”

            “Please, Feliciano. Think about what you’re doing.” Roderich spoke as he turned to take his seat next to Elizabeta who looked on with concern. Feliciano went to his brother’s side at the head of the long table, avoiding Roderich’s gaze.

            “Sorry we’ve kept you all waiting for longer than we said, but you know what? The railroads have been shit. Shit happens.” Lovino said rather unapologetically for his apology. Knowing Lovino Vargas, that was the most of an apology that they would get from him anyway. “First of all, let’s see what we’re dealing with.” Lovino looked to his brother. Feliciano nodded and produced the box containing the ankh from his bag. He carefully unwrapped it, took it out of its container, and placed it at the head of the table for everyone to see. The artifact was an intricately carved piece of stone shaped like an ankh that had a golden glow to it.  They silently stared at it for a moment.

            “So this is the Crux Ansata…” Arthur assessed the artifact in wonder. “You said you found it in Germany, right?”

            “He found something else there too.” Francis mumbled playfully as he was obviously hinting towards Ludwig, causing a little flinch from Feliciano as his cheeks began to lightly flush.

            Seeing Feliciano’s face flush allowed Arthur to catch on that Francis was implying something personal, which set him off. “Bloody hell, Francis! Can’t you keep your comments to yourself for once?!” Arthur stood up from his seat to place his hands on the table and glare at Francis. “Honestly, this is why I think you’re so incompetent! You’re always thinking with your co—“

            “I am simply adding to the conversation, _mon cher_.” He smiled as he spoke to the now irritable British man whose unusually thick eyebrows were pressing together as he scowled. “Is it not true, Feliciano?” Feliciano looked back up from the table with an embarrassed expression on his face. Roderich sighed, for he knew that this discussion was about to take a turn for the worst.

            Lovino looked incredulously at his brother and then to the Frenchman. “What are you talking about, Francis?” Unbeknownst to the others, Feliciano locked eyes with Francis and had a pleading expression on his face as he shook his head. Francis’s eyes widened as he realized that Feliciano didn’t want him to say anything about his companion. Lovino saw that Francis was looking at his brother, so he followed suit. “Feliciano, what does he mean by this?”

            “I uh…”

            Before he could begin to formulate a sentence, Sadık interrupted with his loud voice. “Heracles! You better wake up or else I’ll kick your ass!!!” He smacked a broad shoulder of the young Greek man who had nodded off to sleep in his chair. His green eyes opened lazily and he frowned, for his nap was rudely interrupted by the Turkish man.

              “It’s the middle of the night, you idiot. Of course I’m going to be tired.” He spoke slowly, despite how irritated he sounded. “Sorry,” he said to the rest of the table.

            Arthur continued arguing with Francis as this happened. “It’s always like this whenever you’re around, you bloody frog! I still don’t get why they made _you_ of all people in that bloody frog country of yours your position in the Brotherhood! They must all be insane!”

            “You know very well why I’m a leader, and it’s not just because of my good looks, _mon cher_.” Francis chuckled, “It is undeniable that I am the best at what I do out there… and in bed.” He brushed a stray lock of hair away from his face then placed his elbow on the table, where he lightly rested his chin on his knuckles with an inviting smile. “Would you like to see for yourself again?” This made Arthur extremely flustered, and in turn, causing his temper to boil over.

            “There’s _no way_ in bloody _Hell_ that I would ever—“

            “Dammit, both of you shut up!!!” Lovino interjected between Francis and Arthur. Unfortunately, that did little to stop the bickering, and he ended up arguing with the two of them as they argued with each other simultaneously. Roderich and Elizabeta were too busy trying to separate Heracles and Sadık who were also arguing.

            Feliciano looked on at all of the chaos happening in the room before him. This was not how he wanted his reunion with his fellow members of the Brotherhood to play out. He had almost forgotten how childish they became when they were all put in the same room together. As amusing as it was, Feliciano was not in the mood to put up with any of this.

              Everyone was preoccupied with their irrelevant quarrels and Feliciano desperately wanted to get to the point already so he could go back to Ludwig. He wanted to get back to his wonderful Ludwig who never expected him to take on a leadership role that he did not ask for. Ludwig whose sleeping face was stunning in the moonlight… Ludwig who Elizabeta and Francis had both mentioned looked familiar… Ludwig who Francis said resembled a boy that he had fought years ago… Ludwig who could possibly _be_ that boy from so long ago.

              Something caught in his breath. _No. No way._ _There was absolutely no way._ He thought about it before, but dismissed it because he had given up long ago. Now that he was piecing the clues together, it was hard to deny the facts.

 _Oh my God_ , he thought as he fought back tears from the sudden wave of emotion that surged through him, _I need to know if it’s really him_. He was now beyond the chaos before him. He didn’t care about it anymore. Nothing else in the world mattered except for getting through this stupid meeting so he could get back to his Ludwig. There was only one way he knew he could grab their attention and get to the point at the same time.

            “I USED IT!” Feliciano blurted out. “I used the ankh…” Everyone paused from the initial shock of his words for a moment. Suddenly, they remembered the seriousness that their situation required. They all scrambled back to their seats and fixed themselves as Feliciano blurted out his story from the beginning, not caring if they actually heard all of it.

              “After all of that happened, the Templars were chasing me and I happened upon Ludwig’s room at an inn. I asked him to let me hide there for a bit and he let me, but afterwards, I guess he followed me and later when I was surrounded by them, I got knocked out. But he saved me and when I woke up, I had lost my memories. At some point when I was looking through my bag, I opened it to find this and it somehow healed me and now we got chased all the way here and— ” Feliciano ran out of breath, so his final words in his sentence faded off so that they could barely hear. “I love him.”

            His last three words were caught by those sitting closest to him which included Francis, Roderich, and barely by Lovino. The master assassins sat there in shock as Feliciano stood there gasping for breath and recomposed himself to continue. “So please stop quarreling and tell me what you all want do with this thing!”

            Lovino and everyone else were too shocked from Feliciano’s explanation to come up with an immediate answer.

            “Also, Templars followed me here… They’re in the city.” He softly admitted as he calmed down. This sent a wave of alert among his comrades.

            “What?! They’re back?! But we wiped out their leaders and resources during the war! They shouldn’t be able to have enough resources to follow _you_ all the way from Germany! How did they even manage to do that?!” Lovino was filled with confusion, for he was also well-aware of Feliciano’s skills in evasion and knew how easily his younger brother could get out of sight.

 

     “Their restoration must be pretty recent, then. Also, it’s because it’s _him_.” Arthur replied with arms crossed and a pensive expression, “Of course they would go out of their way to track down one of the Vargas brothers.”

            “Then, let’s get rid of them as quickly as possible before things get messy.” Elizabeta responded.

            Roderich frowned and added, “But if we get rid of them here, their higher ups will notice and send even more reinforcements.”

            “If they even have any left right now, I say let them come!” Interjected Arthur. “We have no reason to worry about the Templars since their forces have been weakened from the war.”

            “Hey, don’t invite them over here, dammit! I don’t want the city swarming with those stupid bastards again!” Lovino interjected with an annoyed expression. 

            “How about we send a reconnaissance group around the city to see how many there are before we take action?” Francis offered.

            “Alright, sounds like a great idea!” Sadık began to crack his knuckles. “Who’s with me on that?” He looked around and everyone but Feliciano raised their hand.

            Feliciano frowned, for he knew he brought this upon everyone and he had to help out, but right now his mind was somewhere else completely. He desperately needed to be away from all of this and to get back to Ludwig. _I’m sorry, everyone._

            “Alright, so this is how we’ll split up and search.” They gathered around the table, not noticing that one less person was in the room by the time they made the final decision.

            “Feliciano?!” Lovino looked around the room to find that his brother had disappeared. “Did anyone see when he left?” Everyone else was just as appalled to see that he had disappeared without warning. “ _We’ll_ be back.” He made sure to put emphasis. “Time to be adults now. _Vai, andiamo!_ ” Lovino gestured at his comrades to start talking. He took a deep breath and ran towards the exit.

 

Feliciano was almost all the way up the stairs until his sleeve was caught by the hand of his livid brother.

            Lovino angrily pushed his brother against the wall and grabbed his collar. “WHY DID YOU RUN AWAY?!” He gripped tighter. “HOW SELFISH COULD YOU GET?! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE A GODDAMNED LEADER IN THE BROTHERHOOD, FOR FUCK’S SAKE!!!” His frustration had boiled over, but seeing the hurt in his younger brother’s eyes made Lovino loosen his grip out of guilt.

            Feliciano looked down at his feet with tears still stinging at the back of his eyes. He knew that Lovino’s question didn’t only ask why he abruptly left the meeting. He was also asking why he had gone missing after the war. Why he had to hunt him down and beg him to find and retrieve the piece of Eden for them since he was the only one who knew where it was and how to get it. Why he left him to run the family business alone. Speaking with a delicate voice, Feliciano replied. “I never asked to be a leader, you know…”

            Lovino’s guilt only increased, for he knew that better than anyone else. He released his brother and took a deep breath as he clenched his fists.

            “I know, but you’ve earned your title more than any of us have.” Lovino’s tone softened and he gently lifted his brother’s chin so that their eyes could meet. “I understand that you don’t want to deal with us more than you have to, but I can’t just let you keep doing whatever you want, especially when we have a job this important. We need you, Feliciano.”

           Feliciano grew frustrated. “I _know_. But I’m _done_ fighting! Is it bad to want some peace for myself after all we’ve gone through? After what _I’ve_ done?” He took a deep, shaky breath. “We made a deal that I wouldn’t have to fight anymore, remember? I’ll do about anything for you and you know it. I’ll keep hunting down more pieces of Eden, but it doesn’t mean that I plan on taking on _that_ life again. You don’t even need me to stay! You’re all strong enough to take care of the Brotherhood without my help. I know you’re especially strong, Lovi. Besides, you’ve been holding up just fine without me, haven’t you?”

            Lovino pulled back a little and his expression softened. “Don’t you see, Feliciano? It’s not easy staying strong by myself.”

            “Wha—“

            “The point is, I fucking miss having you around, okay?!” Lovino crossed his arms and began to pout. His cheeks grew slightly red. “It’s nice to have power and all, but it gets lonely sometimes and…” He was fighting back tears, but they began to slowly fall down his cheeks. Turning his head to the side, he quickly wiped away his tears.

              Feliciano now understood. Lovino was definitely a strong person and although he was known to be lazy at times, Feliciano knew that he was a great leader when it came down to it. It wasn’t help with taking care of the family business that he needed, it was something else entirely. Without missing a beat, Feliciano embraced his brother with all the love he had for him.

            “Lovi, I know that you want me to stay, and I promise you that I will, but only for a little bit so I can help fix the mess I brought here. Right now, though, there’s something I _need_ to do before I take up my blades again.” Feliciano spoke with resolve.

            “What could be more important than—“

            “ _Please_ , just let me go for tonight and I promise I’ll come back tomorrow as soon as I can.” Feliciano grabbed his brother’s hands. “I _promise_ I will.”

            Lovino looked into his brother’s eyes and he knew that he truly meant what he said. _It definitely  has something to do with that Ludwig guy he said he came here with, doesn’t it?_ With a sigh, he replied, “Alright, fine.” Feliciano's face lit up with hope. “…But you better come back as soon as you can tomorrow. I’ll see what I can work out with them.” Lovino released his hands from his brother’s and ruffled his hair. “You know, sometimes you’re such a pain in the ass, _fratellino_.” The elder Vargas brother smiled slightly. He turned his face away. “Now go before I change my mind.”

            “ _Grazie mille!_ I’ll be back tomorrow night!” Feliciano smiled as he embraced his older brother then left him standing there with a tightly clenched fist.

              Lovino took a deep breath and began to head back down into the meeting room, racking his brain for a good excuse to make for his brother’s sudden and inconvenient absence. After all, he couldn't just tell them that his brother left their important meeting that they've been waiting days for because he probably wants to be with his boyfriend... or whatever that guy is to him.

              Whatever it was between them, Lovino observed that it had changed his brother. Dare he think, it made Feliciano _softer_. Softer than he remembered him to be compared to when they last met. Despite how frantic he was, Feliciano held an air about him that made it appear that he had found some kind of happiness that had changed him for the better. In other words, he knew for a fact that his brother was in love.

              Perhaps that was another reason why Lovino allowed his brother to run off at such an important moment. For how could he trample on that happiness that was so needed in their broken world that was trying to rebuild itself the best it could? Lovino sighed and resigned himself to going back to deal with the mess he just helped his brother make. _I’m covering for you again just as usual, huh, fratellino?_ He mused. 

 

 _“Lovino, don’t run too fast! I won’t be able to catch up!”_ _cried a tiny ten year-old Feliciano in his nightclothes as he hurried after his eleven year-old brother rushing down the courtyard in the middle of the night._

_“It’s not my fault if you fall behind! Keep it down, you might wake someone up!” hissed Lovino as he ran before him._

_“Where are we going anyway?” the sleepy young boy asked once he caught up with his brother._

_“There’s something I want to show you. Just keep following, okay?”_

_“Does it have to be at this time? I’m really tired!” whined the younger of the two._

_“Do you want me to show you or not?! We’re almost there. You’ll see why I brought you out this late!”_

_The brothers ran across the dark courtyard and into the highest part of the garden. They plopped down on the ground and Lovino pointed up and told Feliciano to look up at the beautiful night sky. What they beheld above them was a blanket of countless diamonds shining brightly in the night._

_Feliciano gasped in delight. "Che bello!" The night sky was even more beautiful from where they sat and it made them feel even smaller as they looked up into the infinite specks that were farther than they could ever dream of going._

_“ When something bothers me at night, I like to go here and think about things. It’s been really rough for us lately, so I thought I’d share this with you. Just don't tell anyone about us sneaking out, okay?” Lovino reluctantly mumbled. Tears welled up in his little brother’s eyes. He tackled Lovino, embracing him and letting them fall on the floor. “Wh—what do you think you’re doing?!” demanded Lovino._

_“Grazie mille, Lovi!” cried Feliciano. Lovino huffed and slowly hugged him back. Their moment was interrupted by them seeing a light turn on in the distance. Someone was coming. Lovino hushed his brother and pulled him into the bushes to hide from whoever was nearby._

_“Come out, you two. I know you’re here!” demanded their grandfather. The two scrambled deeper into the foliage, dirtying their clothes and hoping that they wouldn't see a familiar head of short reddish-brown hair appear from above anytime soon. The two huddled together and sat completely still, taking light breaths because they knew that their grandfather had senses extraordinarily sharper than the average person. They heard him walking away and after a minute, the two sighed with relief._

_Feliciano whispered, “Do you think we—“_

_“Found you!” the man surprised the boys and they jumped up. “You two are getting too big to hide in the bushes, you know.” sighed their grandfather with his hands on his hips as the two boys came out of their hiding spot holding hands. Feliciano looked to the floor in embarrassment while Lovi was looking their grandfather directly in the eyes with a pout on his face._

_“How did you find us out, old man?!” Lovino demanded._

_“Can’t a nonno check on how his nipoti are doing?” He grinned as he raised his big, strong arms to shrug. A kind smile was on the face that others mistook for their father’s so often, always commenting on how young the man was to be a grandfather. “What brings you two out here at this hour anyway?” he asked the boys as he knelt to meet their eye level. Up closer, they could see that he had equipped his hooded robes and armor. Seeing him wearing them now, Lovino grew a little sad, knowing exactly what those clothes meant. On top of them meaning that their nonno would be away for a long time, they also meant that he would come home with wounds that he would try to hide from them._

_The brothers looked to the floor and Feliciano finally spoke. “Lovi just w-wanted to show me the...” Feliciano stammered, so Lovino finished his sentence._

_“Feli was feeling down so I wanted to share my thinking spot with him. I was hoping we could see_ _mamma_ _and_ _papà_ _up there too, but there are too many stars...” The young boy continued with a reddened face as he pointed to where they sat before and then up to the night sky scattered with countless specks of white light. Feliciano squeezed his hand tighter and was trying to hold back tears. He squeezed his hand tighter in return. The smile on their nonno’s face had cracked. The man took a deep breath, trying to hold back tears himself._

 _“I-I’m sorry,_ _nonno!” Feliciano broke down. “I know you told us to stay strong, but sometimes it’s really hard to do that and I—“ his words became indistinct as he blubbered on. In turn, Lovi began to cry as well, unable to hold back his emotions._

 _“Mi dispiace,_ _bambini.  I really am sorry. It’s okay to cry. God knows how many times I have. I miss them just as much as you both do.” The man sadly smiled with a sigh. “If I could, I would pluck them from the heavens and bring them home, but unfortunately, darlings, that’s not how the world works.” He swept up each boy in his strong arms and they sat down together at Lovi’s designated spot. The two snuggled next to him on either of his sides, making sure not to touch the cold metal he had equipped on his outfit, knowing exactly where each piece was and what parts were sharp. The two sniffled as he tenderly stroked their hair with is warm hands till they calmed down._

 _“Nonno, why did_ _mamma_ _and_ _papà_ _have to die?” asked Feli, gripping his clothes tighter._

 _“You said God would bring good people to his home when they finished doing what they needed to do on Earth, right? But we still need them now, so why are they gone?” Lovino bitterly mumbled into their_ _nonno’s_ _clothes._

 _“Well,_ _miei cari nipoti, sometimes God has different plans for people. We never know exactly what it is or why, but there’s always a lesson to be learned from everything that happens...”_

_The three of them sat and talked until sunrise came and their nonno would have to leave them to do another important job. He kissed them on their cheeks and foreheads, promising he would return._

_With tears in their eyes, they waved goodbye, not knowing this would be the last time the three of them would ever be together._

Lovino reveled in that distant memory that felt like another lifetime ago.

              “I guess God had different plans for you too, huh, _nonno?_ ” Lovino looked up to the ceiling and covered his eyes, trying to stop tears from rolling down his cheeks. _Get back to the present, idiota!_ He chided himself. Lovino took a deep breath and decided to just use whatever excuse he could muster for his beloved _fratellino_.

 

              Just when Lovino was about to make a turn into the next set of stairs, he bumped into something warm, or rather, someone. “Mmf— Hey! Watch where you’re going, you—“ he looked up and his eyes met a pair of emerald green eyes. After moving to get a better look, Lovino saw that familiar tanned skin and rust-brown hair in the dim lighting. He gasped.

            His shoulders were caught by two strong hands before he could lose his balance. “ _Hola_ , Lovino! It's been so long!” A cheerful voice pierced through the dimly lit stairway. It was Antonio Fernández Carriedo, a fellow member of the Brotherhood. “Sorry I’m late! What did I miss?” Lovino was embarrassed to have been caught with tears streaming from his eyes, so he looked down to hide his face the second he realized who he was standing before. “Hm?” A puzzled look was now on the Spaniard’s face. “What’s the matter? Why won’t you look at me?” He tried moving around so that he could see Lovino’s face, but Lovino in turn kept averting his gaze.

            “Nothing!” He snapped as he wriggled his way out of Antonio’s hands. “It’s none of your business!” This caused Antonio to slightly frown out of concern.

            “Was that Feliciano I heard you talking with just a moment ago? I only caught the tail end of your conversation. Where’s he going? The others told me we were supposed to be having a meeting with him right now, but he slipped out. Did he tell you why?”

            Lovino continued to look away. “It probably has something to do with that guy he’s been traveling with…” He muttered.

            “Oh, seriously?” Lovino nodded in response. Antonio placed a hand on his own chin and thought for a moment. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to catch me up on the situation since I just arrived.” He scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

            “I don’t have time for this, Antonio!” Lovino yelled and attempted to walk past him, but was stopped by an arm in his way.

            “Hold on, answer me this, at least.” His tone suddenly grew more serious than a second ago. “Does he have the Key of Life with him?” Lovino’s eyes widened.

            “ _Cazzo!_ I let him go when he still had the piece of Eden!” He punched the wall in frustration. “He said he would come back tomorrow, but I can't just let him run off with something that important!”

            Antonio placed a reassuring hand on his comrade’s shoulder. “Lovino, I’m sure if he could bring it all the way here in one piece, we can wait another night and he’ll bring it back just the same. You trust him, don’t you?” Lovino eased up and wiped his eyes so he could finally look at Antonio. A comforting smile was on his face. Lovino warily gazed at the flicker of light reflected on those stupidly beautiful green eyes of his.

              Without warning, a hand took his arm and pulled him closer. “What do you think you’re—“ His captured arm was placed around a waist that he knew well. He allowed another hand to let his other arm follow suit. Soon enough, two strong arms held him in an embrace.  A familiar scent of cologne and the sun. Lovino couldn’t help but smile as he leaned his head on Antonio’s.

              “You know, it’s been a long time since I’ve held you like this, Lovino Vargas… Not since Barcelona, at least.” Antonio buried his face into the slightly shorter man’s hair as he held him close.

              Antonio’s embrace was just as he had remembered and dreamt it to be. It was so comforting to hold him close like this again! How long had it been since they were last together? Months? A year? However long it was since last time, it had felt like an eternity.

              “It’s your own damn fault, you bastard.” He muttered as he pulled away. “You’re always so damn busy! You wouldn't even let me visit when I asked to!"

              Antonio chuckled, “Since when have we ever had time for anything, _mi amor_? I don't think that post-war Spain has much to offer you anyway. I’m sorry we couldn’t see each other sooner." Lovino huffed and crossed his arms. Antonio put a hand under one of Lovino’s elbows to reclaim his arms, but they refused to budge. "I thought we would get more time together since the war’s been over, but nobody ever mentioned how it’s even harder to clean up after one. You of all people know that, don’t you?” Lovino remained silent. The hand placed under his elbow gently slipped down to his waist as Antonio got closer. “But it’s alright now.” He slipped his arms around his waist and Lovino couldn’t resist any longer, so he loosened up. He carelessly wrapped his arms around the Spaniard once more and allowed the pair of lips kissing his temple to kiss his cheek. Then the corner of his mouth. “After I got your latest message, I fixed as much as I could before I left Spain and here I am now. You don’t have to be lonely anymore.” Something caught in Lovino’s breath as he heard those words.

               “…Ugh, you’re so cheesy…” Lovino grumbled as he fought back a smile and gently bumped their heads together. Lovino gripped the back of Antonio’s head so that he could lead him into a rough kiss containing all his pent up feelings. Antonio happily complied and giggled as they each playfully stole another kiss, then another. Lovino rested his head on his shoulder and mumbled, “ _Ti amo, idiota_.”

              Antonio smiled. “I love you too, Lovino. How I’ve missed you!” He took a deep breath and they stayed that way for a moment. ”Are you feeling better now?” He asked as he continued to hold him in his arms. He delivered a gentle kiss to his left temple once more. The shorter of the two nodded. “Alright then. The others are probably wondering what’s taking us so long. Are you ready to go back?”

              “…Yeah. I’ve got it.” He responded reluctantly. Pulling away and pulling himself together, Lovino regained his confidence and walked back into the room to continue the meeting like the capable leader he had proven himself to be.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gang's all here!  
> Or are they...?  
>  
> 
> That star scene has existed since like... 2013 and I still go OUCH WTF at myself everytime I read it.


	10. The Thing About Memories

As soon as he left the building, Feliciano had darted out into the crisp early morning.

            The air was cold and the sun wasn’t up yet. He was thankful for that, for he knew that Ludwig always started his day along with the sunrise, which would cause problems if he had found him missing. Feliciano ran through streets and climbed each building he reached with ease as he hurried back to the hotel where he and Ludwig stayed. All he could think about was getting to his side as soon as he could.

            Now that Feliciano was at the window of their room, he carefully peeked inside. Thankfully, Ludwig was still sound asleep.

Carefully, he made sure that the window was opened quietly and just enough for him to climb back into the room. Getting back into his sleepwear, (or lack thereof,) he turned off the light that he left on in the bathroom and slipped back into the bed, slightly waking his lover.

            “It’s just me.” Feliciano whispered. Ludwig’s eyes slightly opened and then closed once more as he moved his arms to make space for him in between them. He happily slipped back into Ludwig’s arms and kissed him on the cheek as Ludwig relaxed so he could go back to sleep.

            They lay there in silence for a while. The moonlight wasn’t as bright as before, but it was enough to examine Ludwig’s face.  _Che bello,_ he thought _._ How beautiful. Looking at this beautiful, familiar face, Feliciano thought of the boy from his childhood as he remembered him. “Even if you’re not him, I still love you just as you are.” He whispered with a smile and brushed a strand of Ludwig’s hair out of his face.

            “If I’m not who?” Ludwig slowly opened his eyes and groggily asked to Feliciano’s surprise. _Oh, that’s right_ , he remembered, _he wakes up really easily when he’s touched!_

            “Oh no, it’s nothing, don’t worry about it! I’m just talking to myself…” Feliciano lowered his hand to lay it back down, but his wrist was gently caught by Ludwig’s hand.

            “Feliciano, what are you not telling me?” He was suddenly more alert. Ludwig’s blue eyes in the moonlight stopped Feliciano in his tracks as he took in the beauty of his eyes. But he had to bring himself back to the fact that Ludwig had asked him a question that he really wished he hadn’t.

           “I…” He looked away. _Where do I even begin? Did he notice that I left? How much does he want to know? Should I come clean like Roderich said I should? But we’re so close to being done! He might not even have to know! What do I say?!_ Feliciano could start to feel his palms sweat from nervousness. This was probably one of the most crucial moments in his life where he had to choose his words wisely. “I…” _Just tell him what’s on your mind, maybe that will be enough!_ He looked back into Ludwig’s eyes. “I was just wondering if we’ve ever met before... You know, before we met that day in Germany.”

           It was the truth, but it wasn’t the whole truth. It was important that he didn’t know all of it. Not now. Not yet, at least.

           Ludwig’s expression was now puzzled. “What makes you think that?” He let go of Feliciano’s wrist and they both rested their arms on the bed, now looking at each other intently.

           “I just remembered some things and I thought about what Miss Elizabeta and Fra—how she said you looked familiar.” He had almost mentioned Francis, which would have caused a lot of inconvenient questions and he internally beat himself up for it while Ludwig laid there looking contemplative. _Choose your words carefully, idiota!_ “And I was wondering if I might have known you from before.”

           “Hm… I can’t be sure about that. I don’t remember much about my childhood, so I can’t say we haven’t met before either.”

           “What do you remember or know? How about we start with that?” Now Ludwig was racking his brain to see if he could muster up any memories from his childhood. Feliciano could see the slightly troubled expression on his face and grew worried. “Ludwig, you don’t have to push yourself. It’s okay, really!”

           He shook his head. “It’s fine. All I know is that I was raised in a small town with my older brother, Gilbert. Then the war started when I was very young, so our parents eventually left to fight like everyone else’s parents. It was just me and Gilbert until he was old enough to be enlisted in the army, and then I was sent to live at someone’s house.”

           Feliciano perked up. “Someone’s house?”

           “Yes, but I don’t really remember my time there. Sometimes I have vague dreams about being younger. I see familiar-feeling places that I don’t recognize.”

           “Do you know where it was or anything about it?”

           “Nothing specific.” He frowned, “I just know that I didn’t really like it there. My clearest memory after that is waking up years later in the hospital with my brother at my side.”

           “Oh…” Feliciano looked down and thought some more. “How old are you?”

           At this, Ludwig raised an eyebrow at such an obscure question. “Twenty-two. Why—”

           “And when did you enlist?”

           “When I was fourteen, I believe. My clearest memories start at when I was sixteen because that was when I recovered.”

           “And you went to that house you barely remember at what age?”

           Ludwig sat up. He looked to the side as he forced the fog of sleepiness from his mind so he could think harder. “Probably at ten, since Gilbert is four years older than me and soldiers could enlist as young as fourteen.”

           Feliciano sat up as well. “So you have a gap from when you were ten to fifteen which means there’s about six years missing…” He thought some more. “And that means…” The boy was about his age as well and Feliciano had spent longer at Roderich’s house, so comparing his own time in Austria… would definitely match up!

           At this, Feliciano caught his breath as he looked directly into Ludwig’s eyes that were examining his own, curious about what he was thinking. There was a long moment of silence as Feliciano attempted to wrap his mind around his discovery. It was true, or at least it had to be. There was no way it couldn’t be a coincidence. Overwhelmed with emotion, Feliciano smiled with relief and moved to cover his face as he began to break down. Garbled words in Italian escaped his lips as he sobbed to himself. _It’s him! It’s really him! He came back to me!_

           “What is it?!” Ludwig attempted to comfort Feliciano as he was ridden with emotion. Ludwig wasn’t sure what to do. He couldn’t hold Feliciano’s hand to comfort him as usual since he was too busy crying into them. Instead, he gently placed a hand on his back and asked, “Feliciano, why are you crying? I-is it because of what I told you?” Feliciano began to spew out more incomprehensible words as he continued to release all of his flooding emotions. “Feliciano?” He leaned in closer and Feliciano removed his hands from his tearful face so he could tackle Ludwig with an extremely tight embrace. Following suit, Ludwig held him close and waited a while for him to calm down. All the while, he placed occasional kisses on his forehead and gently stroked his trembling back.

           Feliciano sniffled. “I… thought about it before, but…” His voice cracked as he spoke. “I just pushed the thought away because it was too good to be true and I was just being stupid.”

           “Feliciano, you’re not stupid.” Ludwig frowned and patted his back gently. “Also, what thought?” He wondered as Feliciano let go so he could look at him. “I’m… guessing we’ve met before, then?” Ludwig tentatively moved his hand to wipe Feliciano’s remaining tears away and when he finished, his lover caught his hand and held it to his cheek.

           “Yes, Ludwig, and you kept your promise!”

           Ludwig was taken aback as he began to absorb the news. “I made a promise to you?”

           “Mm-hm.” Feliciano closed his eyes and nodded happily. “ You said, ’No matter how many years go by, I’ll always love you.’” He recalled that distant day. _“_ I’ll do whatever it takes to come back to you, I promise!’” Releasing Ludwig’s hand, he held him tightly once more. “You said that to me before you left to fight in the war.”

           “Ah…” It was all so much to take in at once, not to mention, enough to make his cheeks bright red.

           “Do you remember that, Ludwig?”

           There was a pause. Were those words truly his own? What if Ludwig wasn’t the person that Feliciano thought he was? How he would hate to disappoint him! There must be something that he could remember to prove his identity, anything. As he held Feliciano in his arms, he closed his eyes and thought hard about it, even mouthing the words recited from all those years before.

           “…Flowers.” After a few moments, he finally recalled something. “That night you first kissed me. I think I remembered something. Were we outside? …In a field with pink flowers, right?” Feliciano caught his breath and pulled back to look Ludwig in the eyes. The astonishment was obvious in his expression. “Were you the one whose hair I put the flower in?”

           “Yes, Ludwig! That was me!” Ludwig had never seen anyone as relieved as Feliciano was at this current moment in time. “You put the flower in my hair and kissed me.” He beamed as he wiped another tear from his eye. “I was so surprised because you were so shy back then!”

           It was strange to be told that he did something so innocent yet romantic and it made his face feel even warmer. However, simply looking at the sheer joy and relief Feliciano expressed made Ludwig’s heart soar.

           “All this time I thought that would be the last time I would ever see you, but here you are!” Feliciano smiled and pulled his lover in for a kiss. “And you’ve even made me fall for you all over again!” He took Ludwig’s hands and stared at them pensively as he held them in his lap. “It’s so strange how the world works, isn’t it? How the world somehow allowed you to keep that promise from so long ago and have us reunite like this.” He began to gently caress his hand with his thumb. “And if I had chosen one more room over on the building that day, you probably wouldn’t be here with me right now.”

           “Isn’t that something…” Ludwig mused as he let the rest of the moment sink in. Who would have thought that they would meet again by pure coincidence?

           Feliciano gave Ludwig time to think as they silently sat together bathed in moonlight with their fingers intertwined and Feliciano resting on his shoulder. He planted the occasional kiss wherever he could and enjoyed simply being there in the moment with his long-lost love.

           A while later, Feliciano began to ask more about Ludwig’s life during the war, hoping he could put more of the pieces together and understand what happened in between him leaving Austria to the time he woke up from a coma with his brother at his side.

           After a while, Feliciano was brought to wonder if that haunted expression that Francis had was a sign that he was somehow involved with this situation. There were so many things he wanted to know, but he didn’t even know where to begin. So for now, he listened and hung on to every word of Ludwig’s story of being found as a young amnesiac soldier lying on the ground half-dead to eventually becoming an honored captain in the German military.

           On the other hand, Ludwig had a number of questions as the information settled in his mind. Whose house did they live in for those forgotten years? Why were they there? What else did Feliciano know about his former, forgotten self?

 

Feliciano handled Ludwig’s questions carefully, though at certain times he began to question why he wanted to keep certain things from him.

              “Whose house were we in? Where was it?”

              “It was an… orphanage. In Austria.” Roderich was certainly taking care of Elizabeta, Ludwig, and Feliciano who were orphaned, so that was true to an extent.

              “Do you remember why I left that place for the military?”

              “You wanted to change things.” _Just like I did._ Feliciano mused at the divergent fates that befell the two of them who had left that house with such a similar goal. They both set out to change things in the war and they got what they wanted, but in a twisted way.

              “Is there anything else about me that you might remember?”

              “You were shy, Ludwig.” He smiled, remembering that young boy who had turned into the man who now sat beside him. “You were so shy,” he thought back to their innocent days together. “We were really good friends, you know? When we weren’t being… instructed, we would spend a lot of our time together. Sometimes even just being in the same room while reading or drawing was enough for us. Though, the funny thing is that you were so shy that you never told me your name. You were even too shy to ask for mine!” He giggled as he remembered. “That day in the field was the boldest you had ever been with me.” His response was met with silence and he looked up at Ludwig to see a slight blush on his face. Feliciano smiled. “Did that ring any bells?”

              “I uh…” There was a pause. Feliciano’s smile softened and he squeezed Ludwig’s hand that was still entwined with his own.

              “No worries, Ludwig. That’s the thing about memories, they’re very troublesome.” He kissed him on the cheek and nuzzled the crook of his neck. “Any other questions?”

              “What did you do during the war?”

              Feliciano’s smile fell.  He looked down to his hands. There was a pause as he searched his mind for an answer. “I… did what I could to stay away from any conflict. You could say that I literally ran away from my troubles!” He gave a slight chuckle, trying to lighten the subject. Feliciano hoped that what he said would be enough, but he could tell that Ludwig waited for him to say more. “…But as you could tell from that night with the thunder, trouble kept finding me. That’s what happens when your job makes you travel a lot, I guess.”

              Ludwig took his words in for a moment. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” He squeezed Feliciano’s hand a little tighter and then asked, “What exactly was your job?”

              Feliciano was thankful for the darkness that hid his flushed face. _How did I know he would ask me that?_ “I uh…” _I can’t just tell him what I really do! But why am I keeping the truth from him?! Doesn’t he deserve to know?! For God’s sake, he’s supposed to be one of us anyway! I’m sure Roderich would like to know what happened to his former student… What do I do?! What would they even do if they found out about him?!_

              Then Roderich’s words rang in his mind. _‘Either way, you can’t keep lying, Feliciano. He needs to know about us, it’s only fair.’_

           Right now, Ludwig was nothing but a fallen member of the Brotherhood, which granted him freedom. Was it truly fair to involve him again? Hadn’t he gone through enough?

           Feliciano would never wish for such a burden on anyone, nonetheless, Ludwig. He wanted Ludwig to finally have his own home. He wanted him to have a dog or two since he could see how much Ludwig admired them when they saw any dog on the streets. He wanted Ludwig to go to bed not having to feel the need to hide a gun under his pillow. Most of all, Feliciano wanted Ludwig to be free to live a happy, peaceful life, and he wanted to live that life with him. If he were to make that happen, Ludwig couldn’t know about their ties with the Brotherhood.

              “Feliciano…?” Ludwig’s voice finally pierced through Feliciano’s train of thought.

              “Oh sorry! I’m just uh… getting tired.” He shrugged. “I do… errands for my family’s business. Just small things that involve a lot of traveling and collecting data.” Honestly, that was true if one didn’t count the hidden weapons, constant conflict with Templars over ancient artifacts, deadly secrets, and constant bloodshed. “We make wine.” He added, which was also true.

              “Oh, I see.”

              “Yup! My brother and I grew up in both the countryside and in the city. After the war took the rest of my family, it’s just been me and Lovino.” Feliciano could see Ludwig frown a little, so he decided to change the subject. “Anyway, I’m getting sleepy now.” He yawned. “Are you going to sleep too? I think the sun is already rising.” Feliciano indicated the dim light coming from the window.

              With that, the two settled under the sheets, seemingly content.

              All the while, Feliciano’s mind raced. He held Ludwig tighter, simply enjoying being beside him and forsaking the rest of the world and its troubles for the moment. Knowing what he now knew about their reunion, he felt like he was holding the same Ludwig he had gotten to know over the past month, but this newfound knowledge of him made his lover even more precious than he already was. Looking him up and down, Feliciano began to notice more little things about Ludwig, like how rough his hands were compared to the rest of his skin. How nice his skin felt under his fingertips…

 

              Meanwhile, Ludwig was lost in thought about his past and about Feliciano. The two were intertwined now, and he found that strangely wonderful. The story about his own early life that Gilbert told him long ago in the hospital seemed to fall in place with whatever bits of memory Feliciano gave him. Ludwig never expected to learn more about his past and he certainly appreciated what Feliciano told him.

              However, when Ludwig thought about what Feliciano said about himself, a lot of things didn’t add up or seemed too ambiguous. He sorted his ponderings into a list:

  1. Feliciano seems stronger and more agile than the average person.
  2. Feliciano doesn’t seem afraid of guns and he knows how to disassemble a German pistol in the dark with ease.
  3. Both the Hungarian woman and the Turkish man were surprised to see Feliciano and greeted him oddly. (So he has connections. It’s known that he travels a lot, but the way they talked to him was as if they thought they’d never see him again.)
  4. The Turkish man also mentioned that Feliciano used to be “like a demon” and was able to take him down singlehandedly. (He says he doesn’t like violence, but it looks like he’s had some experience in fighting.)
  5. Also, the clue that he was the most curious about was that the Turkish man also mentioned that Feliciano ended something. (What did he end?)
  6. However, Feliciano said he wasn’t a soldier and he just mentioned that he ran away from trouble, yet it kept finding him. (Was he lying?)



 

           From these clues, Ludwig was certain that Feliciano was more than he said he was. He was a pacifist and a gentle person, but he had some strange circumstances. Feliciano was well-traveled, so anything could be possible. Ludwig didn’t know much about Italian wine companies, but he was pretty sure that there was something more.

           Ever since that night in Vienna, Ludwig realized, it seemed as if Feliciano was reminded of a huge burden that he refused to talk about. Ludwig thought it may have just been memories of living through the war, but he had a hunch that there was something else. He knew in his heart that Feliciano was an honest person, but he could tell that he wasn’t being completely truthful. He wanted to believe him, but something was missing. Something he couldn’t talk about.

           He gently brushed Feliciano’s hair from his placid face and laid a gentle kiss on his forehead. He began to wonder how much suffering and despair was hidden behind that smile that he always wore.

           Was he really just unfortunate enough to get into such weird situations? Was he part of some kind of crime family? Maybe a former spy?

           What could Feliciano be hiding from him?

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find out on the next episode of Dragon Ball Z-- wait, ignore that.
> 
> If I could sort these two into Hogwarts houses, Feliciano would be Slytherin and Ludwig would be Gryffindor.


	11. Crimson

_The assassin ran._

_Blood stained everything and everyone. The tiles of the courtyard were wet with a sullen shade of crimson. The sound of clashing metal, screams, and heavy breathing filled his ears._

_“Find him before he gets away!” An assassin with a similar face called out to him as he fought off two men at the same time. Blood stained his hands, his clothes. Everything._

_The assassin scaled the building and leapt to another ledge, barely missing a gunshot. He looked back at the sniper whose clothes were now stained with blood from the blade of the hooded figure that appeared behind him. He was dead before he hit the ground. The assassin continued moving._

_He found a balcony to enter from and tried picking the lock of the barred glass door. Just when he was about to open it, the door opened by itself. In front of him was a panting Hungarian assassin with a smile on her face. “Looking for something?” Spots of crimson stained her clothes as well._

_The two ran into another room and met with the assassin with a similar face who was finishing off another guard. More filed in and they were surrounded. There were at least eight of them. The three assassins went back-to-back and readied their blades. “Shall we, boys?” the Hungarian asked as she readied her weapons._

_The fight broke out and the three of them drove a blade into three more before even more guards showed up. In turn, more assassins showed up to join the fray. It was now five against twelve._

_“Don’t worry, we can handle this! Just find him before it’s too late!” The similar-faced assassin called out to him once more, so the assassin nodded and darted off. He drove a blade through another guard and knocked them over in order to clear a path for himself. Four against eleven._

_He ran around the manor, trying to recall where he was according to the map that they all memorized two days prior. If their spies were correct, the target would usually be upstairs and down the corridor to the left. He wasted no time and leapt onto the decorative railing of the stairs, climbing up to the next level with ease._

_He frowned at the number of guards down the hall, but was thankful that he didn’t catch their attention. At least he knew he was on the right path. The assassin stealthily closed in on them and threw a smoke bomb in their midst._

_Smoke filled the air and irritated the eyes and airways of the now coughing guards. His mask was on. It would dissolve in a minute, so he would have to use his time wisely.  “Sessanta.”_

_Cinquantacinque. One was writhing to death on the floor._

_Cinquanta. They were now swinging at their invisible opponent._

_Quarantasei. One bumped into the assassin and paid dearly for it. Another was grabbed by the shoulder and the last things he saw and smelled were his own blood and the smoke that surrounded him._

_Trenta. This one would have put up a better fight, if not for the smoke and blood filling his nose, mouth, and lungs._

_Venti. The smoke was significantly thinned out now. There were two left. They couldn’t find the assassin in time. That would prove fatal. The assassin lunged._

_Dieci. If the last two guards weren’t so busy doing their jobs, they probably would have had the simple pleasure of finding out what their wives were cooking for dinner._

_Uno. Sadly, they never would._

_With ragged breathing, the assassin walked up to the door. Now it was also stained with that sullen shade of crimson. He knocked and dumped the mask on the floor. Once a guard opened the door, a blade was run through his heart. Before he could fall to the floor, he was pushed onto the other guard who was just as shocked as the others in the room._

_“GET HIM!!!” The target cried out in fear, desperately scrambling for a place to hide. There were only three more guards. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the flash of a blade and avoided it just in time before it could be embedded into his neck. The assassin quickly turned around and sliced the man’s arm, forcing him to drop his blade and pull out a pistol with his other hand. However, it was useless._

_Gunfire resounded from the other side of the large room, so the assassin took the man with the injured arm by the collar and used him as a shield from the bullet. The human shield dropped the gun and the assassin grabbed it from the floor. He pulled the safety and aimed at the head of the man who shot at him, creating a hole right in between his eyes and a few in his chest. He then shot at the last guard who unsuccessfully fired at him, creating a crimson hole in his shoulder. Dropping the crimson-stained corpse and empty gun, he went for the last guard who was now bleeding out._

_The assassin could tell that the target was watching in fear as the last of his protection died right in front of him. The assassin held the last guard by the collar and ran his blade into his skull. He saw the life in his eyes go out as quickly as a flame. More crimson was flecked onto the assassin’s emotionless face._

_He grabbed the gun from the corpse and redirected his attention to the target with a cold expression. His bloodstained figure might as well have appeared to be the devil itself. Dropping the corpse with a thud, the assassin walked intently towards the target across the room._

_The target pulled out a gun. He fired. With such unsteady hands, how could he have hoped to shoot such a swift enemy?_

_Before he could fire again, a bullet pierced through his hand that held the pistol. The cold metal made a thud on the luxurious carpet that was now stained with crimson._

_The assassin continued towards him. He took his time, for he knew his target wasn’t going anywhere._

_All the target could do was back up as soon as he was close. He tripped on the fallen pistol and fell to the floor. His face blanched as they made eye contact._

_“What?! But y-you’re just a kid!!! How could you—“Apparently the target had seen his face under the hood. It was probably the last thing he saw too._

_A new puddle of crimson stained the luxurious flooring. He was given no last words. There would be none for a monster like him. Now nobody else would have to suffer because of this evil man who manipulated masses into believing that slaughtering the innocent was justified._

_The assassin watched as the last of the writhing stopped and this evil man departed from this world.  As this happened, the assassin realized that what he felt wasn’t victory like he thought he would._

_All these years he had fought for the lives that were stolen by this man and his evil ideology. And because his life had been thrown from its course, because the sweet, artistic boy he once was could not survive in this world, he had reshaped himself into something that was dangerous and driven._

_Now that it was over, he realized it wasn’t just the dead whose lives were stolen by the war._

_He thought about his first love. Some part of him was thankful that such a sweet boy would never have to see what he had lived long enough to become._

_He knew that for years to come, people would think that he was honorable for what he had done. They would even think him a hero.  But he wouldn’t believe them._

_The hero vacantly retracted his blade. He looked into the gaping hole he left._

_Revenge, he realized, wasn’t sweet._

_Revenge simply felt… empty._

_And so did he._

 

Feliciano sat up in bed and inhaled sharply.

     He sat there, trying to come back to his senses. _Why now of all times?!_ He looked to Ludwig, making sure he was still there. Trying to remind himself that it was just a dream, he curled up into his knees and fought the urge to cry.

     He was so tired of this vicious cycle that he knew he wouldn’t live to see the end of. He had wanted to change things and that is exactly what he did, but he realized that it came at a heavy price. He got his revenge, but along the way he had lost himself and his freedom. He knew many would try to come after him for what he had done. No matter how much he wanted his peace, that’s simply what happened next in the cycle of revenge.

     Would Ludwig be one of those people ensnared in this vicious cycle too?

 

Ludwig awoke, suddenly feeling colder than he was before.

     Feliciano probably tugged the blanket away again. He opened his eyes to see Feliciano sitting up in bed, tucked into his knees. “Feliciano?”

     It took him a second call to break him out of his stupor. Ludwig sat up next to him and gently put a hand on his back. “What’s wrong?”

     “It’s just a bad dream.” His lips formed into a smile, but his eyes told another story. Feliciano apologetically reached over to hold his hand. “Do you uh… mind if I sleep in your arms? It makes me feel safer.”

     Ludwig smiled gently and complied. He laid down and tangled their legs together just like that night of the thunderstorm. Both of their heads were on the same pillow and Ludwig looked into Feliciano’s amber eyes with a comforting smile. His lover smiled in return. “I really like your smile, Ludwig. It makes me feel like everything is okay.” He reached out and stroked his cheek, then pulled his face in to give him a kiss.

     Feliciano too, looked beautiful in the moonlight, and Ludwig admired him for a moment before he kissed him back gently. Feliciano took his face and kissed him harder. Liking what had just happened, Ludwig followed suit, but with a bit of uncertainty. Then Feliciano kept kissing him, longer and deeper each time. It became overwhelming as Ludwig suddenly found himself almost being consumed by him.  Before he knew it, Feliciano was on top of him, kissing him on his eyes, his forehead, his cheeks, and even his neck, which made Ludwig catch his breath.

     “I love you so much, Ludwig.” He moved back up to his lips. “I really, really do.” They continued to kiss, and Feliciano began to let one of his hands go wherever it pleased. On his jaw, on his neck, on his shoulder, going lower and lower.

     “I love you t—“ Ludwig gasped as Feliciano touched him in a place he did not expect. A bit of shock and fear was in his eyes as he looked down at what had just happened.

     “Ah…” Feliciano stopped and let go as soon as he saw Ludwig’s expression. “I-I’m sorry, I ah… should have asked you.” He let go of Ludwig’s hand and removed himself.  He now sat next to him in the bed, looking down at the sheets, too embarrassed to look at him.

     Ludwig’s heart was racing. He sat up, still processing what had just happened. He knew what Feliciano wanted. It was what lovers did, after all. But…

     “We probably should have talked about it before I even tried anything.” He said, still not looking up. “I’m really sorry, Ludwig! It was just kind of in the moment… I know I messed up. I don’t mind you if you’ll want me to sleep on the floor or something, I’ll totally get it! I won’t even blame you if you start to hate me, haha…” His own words stung at his heart because he knew he should be apologizing for even more than what he just did. He began to excuse himself and move away from the bed until he was halted by Ludwig’s voice.

     “Wait…” He said and grabbed his hand so that he would not move any further. There was a little pause before he looked into his eyes.  “How many times do I have to tell you I could never hate you?”

     A shaky sigh of relief escaped Feliciano’s lips. Music to his ears. He smiled. “I’m really sorry! I—”

     “You already explained it to me, don’t worry.” He held his hand tighter for reassurance. “I uh… understand it’s what lovers do, but…” He began to flush. “But I don’t really know how that kind of thing works… Especially when we’re both men…” He looked down in embarrassment. “If I’m going to do something like that with you, I’d want to be more prepared.”

     “Ah, I—I’m really sorry.” Feliciano said once more. Ludwig moved closer and gently pulled his chin up, making sure he looked him in the eyes when he said what he was about to say.

     “I’m not saying I don’t want you, Feliciano. I’m just not ready for this kind of thing yet.”

     “…I’m sorry.”

     Ludwig smiled and pulled him in for a hug. “I forgive you,” he said as he moved to kiss him on the forehead.

     “…Thank you, Ludwig.” He smiled.

 

After all of that, the two decided that they didn’t want to go to bed just yet.

     Feliciano somehow coaxed Ludwig into climbing from the balcony onto the roof, (after getting dressed, of course.)

     “You can do it, Ludwig! I know you can!” He called from above as he watched Ludwig climb the building with the utmost caution.

     “If you say so,” he said with uncertainty.

     “Don’t worry! It’s like riding a bike. Once you get it into your body, you can’t unlearn it.” He said encouragingly. “We used to do this when we were kids, you know.” He smiled as he recalled their lost innocent days together.

     After Ludwig successfully climbed to the rooftop, the couple sat there admiring the early morning sky. The stars were still out, but they were almost faded now.

     “Do you remember the first morning of our trip? The sky looked just like this.”

      Ludwig looked up and mused at this thought. “Now that I think of it, you’re right.” He took Feliciano’s hand and spoke once more. “So much has changed since then.”

     “It really has, huh?” He smiled and gently squeezed his hand. “I’m really glad we got to meet again, Ludwig. I really hope we won’t ever lose each other again.”

     “Well, then why don’t we make sure that doesn’t happen?” He said with a gentle smile as he sat a little closer.

     “Of course,” he smiled back. The two sat there for a moment until Feliciano began to speak. “I mentioned my family before, didn’t I?” Ludwig nodded. “Before my _nonno_ disappeared, he told me and Lovino that when people die, their souls go up to heaven and become stars. I like being up on the roofs all the time because it makes me feel closer to them. Not to mention, there’s no traffic on the rooftops.” He giggled. “I know it’s a bit childish, but guess I’ve formed a habit out of it.” He turned from the sky back to Ludwig. “Maybe your family is up there somewhere too.”

     “…Maybe.” Ludwig’s thoughts went back to the parents he scarcely remembered and his older brother that had been gone without a trace for years.

     “Hey Ludwig…”

     “Yes?”

     “When I die, what kind of star do you think I’ll be?”

     Ludwig was taken aback at the thought. “Please don’t say that.” He frowned and held his hand tighter. It was unthinkable to imagine a world without Feliciano in it anymore. “We both made plans, remember?”

     Feliciano could see the anxiousness in his expression and he couldn’t help but smile at how much he cared for him. “You’re right.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t pass that up for the world! But our time here has to end one way or another, you know that.” There was a pause.

     Ludwig sighed, still grasping his hand as if it would keep his response from actually happening. “In that case, I’d say you’d be the brightest star.”

     “Thank you Ludwig.” He was filled with happiness and he placed his head on his shoulder. “I think you’d be the most beautiful star.”

     Ludwig smiled at this. It warmed his heart to think that someone so beautiful would think of someone like him as beautiful. He kissed Feliciano’s resting head and leaned his own head on his in return. “Thank you.”

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember:  
> Consent and communication in relationships are VERY important, kids!  
> Also, obsessive revenge isn't healthy.
> 
> By the way, this is still the same (very eventful) night. 
> 
> Brownie points to anyone who gets the very obscure and specific Fire Emblem: Fates reference.
> 
> Will our favorite couple ever get a good night's rest?   
> Hell if I know.


	12. Making a Break For It

‘I woke up and you weren’t there and I promised to meet my brother for lunch, so I went ahead. I’ll meet up with you soon! _Ti amo!_ –Feliciano’

      Is what the note said that was left on the table where Ludwig could see it. Always going where he couldn’t follow. He could have at least told him where he’d be. With a sigh, he put down the note.

     Although Feliciano was gone, Ludwig wasn’t just going to stay in and wait for him to come back. He decided that he would find the bookstore that they briefly stopped by a while ago and find something to read. He also hoped that there would maybe be some books on how to… do what lovers do. Preferably between two guys.

     The thought of reading books like that made Ludwig blush, but he had already made his mind up.

 

Meanwhile, Feliciano was sitting through a heated debate between his comrades.

     “Again, I think it should stay here with us. It’s safer where it can’t be at risk of getting into the hands of the enemy.” Lovino reiterated as he was trying his best to not lose patience.

     “But it has healing properties, doesn’t it? It would be better if it traveled around so we could use it to our advantage!” Arthur argued.

     “We’re not even entirely sure how the thing works, so I think we shouldn’t tempt fate and keep it in a safe place.” Added Roderich.

     “I think it’s a risk worth taking.  We can test it out and see how useful it can be to us.” Francis offered.

     “So we’re just going to keep hurting someone until we find out how it works? How far will we go? Till we accidentally kill someone? We’re not mad scientists, we’re supposed to be protecting people!” Lovino objected.

     “And this thing can help us do that even better if we use it for the benefit of our people.” Added Sadık.

     “It’s still risky, though.” Heracles said.

     “This isn’t like one of the Apples of Eden. It doesn’t create illusions or control minds. It _heals_. I think we should give it a chance. If not, we could be missing out!” said Elizabeta.

     “I like that idea,” Antonio nodded.

     “So it seems like most of us want to put it to use.” Lovino scratched the back of his head in disapproval. “My brother used it on himself, so maybe he would know something about this.” He turned to Feliciano. “What do you think?”

     Feliciano sat there pensively. “Maybe our brothers or sisters from the past have owned it at some point. Has anyone checked the records? We can see what they say and decide from there.” Everyone seemed to respond with approval.

     “Also, my subordinates have reported that there’s been a significant amount of Templars roaming around the city. A lot of them are disguised as the authorities, so we’re going to have to be more careful when we’re on the streets. If any one of us is recognized, we might be framed as criminals and I don’t want to have to be breaking any of you out of jail or worse, got it?”

     Feliciano realized that this could be dangerous for Ludwig if they somehow recognized him. They had been seen together by the enemy, he was certain of that. He had to make sure he was okay by himself. He racked his brain for an excuse to leave the building.

     “How is their mission going?  How about we help them out? It would only take a few people to find the records anyway.”

     Lovino looked at his brother with a raised eyebrow. He considered it.

     “It would make the job go a lot faster if we helped them out.” Added Antonio, who gently nudged Lovino’s crossed arms. Lovino looked the Spaniard up and down and realized he was standing a little too close to him.  He scanned the room to see if anyone noticed and caught the eye of Francis who indicated Antonio then him and winked.

     It was probably that shit-eating grin that made him want to wring someone’s neck. _He knows, doesn’t he?_ Lovino rolled his eyes. He glared at Antonio and took a step away.

     “Francis, what in bloody hell did you do this time?!” Arthur interjected with gritted teeth.

     “Why, nothing at all, _sourcils_.” He blatantly pretended to be shocked. “Why would you say such a thing?”

     “Francis…” Elizabeta whispered and nudged the Frenchman sitting next to her. She indicated Lovino and Antonio with her eyes and mouthed, “Are they—“ Francis smugly nodded in reply and whispered something in her ear. In return, Elizabeta’s jaw dropped open and she covered her mouth, even though it was too late to hide her excitement.

     “Are they what?” Sadık asked from across the table.

     “Sadık, don’t mind it.” Heracles elbowed him with a bit of annoyance. “It’s none of our business who’s screwi-“ His lazy green eyes widened as he realized what he was about to say and he interrupted himself with a cough.

     On the other side of the table, Roderich rolled his eyes and sighed. “Elizabeta, _please_ , can you just—“ His sentence was interrupted by his astonishment at Elizabeta giving Francis some currency as though she had lost a bet. “Really now?!”

     Feliciano sat there confused. “Lovi, what are they talking abou—“

     “ANYWAY.” Lovino roared through gritted teeth as he slammed a hand on the table. “If we’re done making bets about my personal life, I’d like to get back to business.” He took a deep breath to recompose himself and button his shirt further up. Feliciano caught a tiny glimpse of what seemed like a bruise and his eyes widened for a second. Lovino then turned to glare at Antonio and point a finger at him that practically said, _‘We’ve talked about this, dammit!’_

     “Since I run this place, I know it better, so I’ll be staying behind to look through the records. Anyone else who wants to join us, feel free to. He gave Antonio a look. At once, everyone in the room knew that Antonio was staying.

     “For everyone else who wants to get rid of some Templars, I’m reconvening this meeting once we’ve found and read through the records. Five in the evening at latest, got it? If not, we’re starting without you.”

     With that, everyone got up from their seat. Lovino tugged at Antonio’s sleeve.

     “ _Sí, sí._ ” Antonio smiled timidly.

      Lovino then scanned the room for his brother. To his surprise, he was heading out the door with the others. Lovino’s eyes narrowed and he called out to him.

     “Feli,” His brother’s tone stopped him dead in his tracks. He turned around slowly and saw that Lovino was beckoning him over.

     “ _Sì_?” He carefully made his way over and sat down as his brother gestured him to.

     “You know they’re going out there…”

     “…Yes?”

     “To _kill_ Templars.”

      “Yes.” He nodded.

     An incredulous look was on Lovino’s face. “What? I thought you gave up killing.”

     “I know. But I made you a promise, remember? I promised to help fix the problem I brought with me.” He said matter-of-factly. “I told you I’d do about anything for you, didn’t I?”

     “Oh.” Was all he could say. Something in Lovino’s heart warmed up as some negative notions he built on his brother’s absence were broken down. Feliciano really wasn’t flaking out on him this time.

     “I’ll be back later.” He said and stood up. He took the ankh from the center of the table. “I’m bringing this just in case someone gets hurt out there.”

     “But—“

     “It’s fine, Lovi.” He assured him with a smile. “You know me. I won’t let anything happen to it.”

      Lovino frowned. “Just get back safely, okay?”

     “ _Sì, sì_.” He chimed and went to join the others.

 

Feliciano’s comrades mapped out sections of the city that they would take, but he had darted off before they could include him in the plan.

     “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing! _Ciao!_ ” was all they could hear him say as he disappeared into the city.

     Once he was out of sight, his false smile fell and he took to the roofs. First, he had to make sure Ludwig was safe. He hoped to God that Ludwig decided to stay in the hotel.

 

Unfortunately, he didn’t.

     Feliciano sighed in disappointment as he exited the lobby of the hotel. A moment later, he saw a familiar face in the crowd before him: it was Francis.

     “Francis, what are you doing here?” Feliciano asked him as he made his way over to his friend.

     “I should be asking you the same, Feliciano.” He said with a curious look on his face. “What were you doing in that hotel?”

     Feliciano ignored his question. “Have you seen him?”

     Francis was taken aback by the urgency in his voice. “I uh…” He stammered. “You are looking for your friend?” Feliciano nodded. Francis stroked the stubble on his chin as he recalled the faces he saw along the way. “I think I did. Earlier. He was at the bookstore a few blocks over.”

     “ _Grazie._ ” Feliciano hastily nodded and darted off.

     “Wait—“ Francis extended a hand to stop him, but Feliciano was already out of reach. God, did he run fast! Francis hoped that he would be able to keep up with him. There was a lot he needed to know.

 

Feliciano continued to the bookstore. He was almost there. Just a few more blocks and—

     “Feliciano!” Francis suddenly appeared in his path and Feliciano had to stop in his tracks. “I need to talk with you!” He breathily demanded.

     Feliciano didn’t have time for this.

     “Later, Francis! _Please!_ I just need to know if he’s safe!” But his desperation did not sway his friend’s resolve to get some answers. Francis took his shoulders before he could slip away.

     “ _Non_ , I need answers _now_.” He began to lead him into the nearest alley so they could talk privately. “By the look of your friend, I am sure he could hold his own against a few of those rats if needed.” He nodded his head to the side to indicate their enemies. “I won’t be long, I promise. I just need to know a few things and I will let you go.”

     Feliciano frowned. “No more talking about him with the others, okay?”

     “Okay. Sorry about that.” He nodded with understanding.

     “Three questions only. What do you want to know?”

     “I uh…” He took a few seconds to formulate his questions. “Are you two uh…” His hand made circles as he searched for the proper term.

     “Yes. We’re together.” The interested look in Francis’s eyes asked if there was more than that, but Feliciano refused to elaborate. “Next.”

     “Does he know what you do—what we are?”

     “…No.” The look on his face showed that he knew he would be asked that question. He crossed his arms and looked off to the side. “I don’t want him involved in all of this.”

     “But you can’t just—“

     “Next question.” He interrupted insistently. He was growing more impatient by the second and Francis could see it in his eyes.

     “Fine. What’s his last name?”

     “What?” He was taken aback by such a random question. “Why would that be important?”

     “He looks like someone I know, but I can’t figure out who exactly.”

     “I still don’t know. Look, it doesn’t matter,” He waved the thought away. “We’ll talk later. I need to go.” With that, he took off.

     “You should ask him, _mon ami_. It could be important!” Francis called out to him as he got farther and farther away.

 

Francis’s parting words echoed in Feliciano’s mind as he ran.

     Why would Ludwig’s last name be important? Come to think of it, both Elizabeta and he were from important families associated with The Brotherhood. All three of them were sent to Roderich Edelstein’s home to be trained. That must mean Ludwig is also from a family important to the Brotherhood.

     But what would it matter now in this shambled world where a family name meant so much less than it did a decade ago?

     Another block and he would be at the bookstore.

     Another building.

     Another corner.

     Feliciano made it and sighed in relief as he emerged from the alleyway of the buildings he was in between. He surveyed the area and took his hood down. It seemed safe to go into the store.

     His heart raced. He reached the front door hoping to find Ludwig somewhere inside.

     But he wasn’t there.

     Feliciano’s heart sank.

     Did he go back? Where could he be?

     Suddenly he understood how Ludwig felt when he ran off without notice and he chuckled to himself. He decided that he would apologize for that the second they met up again.

 

     Little did he know, he wouldn’t be able to.

 

* * * * *

 

Ludwig found himself in quite a predicament.

              He was alone—well, not really. Rather, he was surrounded.

              It all began after he left the book store. He was headed back to the hotel and along the way, he saw a familiar face that he had seen before in Germany. Then in Austria. It was one of the men who attacked Feliciano in the alley.

              At first, he couldn’t believe his eyes, but his staring earned him the chase that he was now at the end of. He had been able to avoid them for a while, but reinforcements and miscalculated turns into unknown parts of a city one is visiting tends to get one trapped in a situation such as this.

              There were five, including the familiar face.

              “What do you want from me?” Ludwig demanded as he reached for his pistol.

              “Sir, we just want you to come with us for some questioning.” The man said in an authoritative voice. Three of the men with him were wearing the uniform of the local authorities.

               “What am I being questioned for?” For some reason, the men in the uniform didn’t seem right to him. The presence of that familiar face didn’t help either.

             “Just come with us and we’ll explain it later.” The familiar face spoke with a threatening tone and pulled out a gun. Ludwig gripped his pistol tightly behind his back. He looked to the men in uniform and they were unfazed by a gun being pulled on an innocent man. Something was definitely wrong.

             He backed up. There were five of them. He had six bullets. There was a possibility of him making it out with a bullet to spare, if it came to that. He worried about Feliciano and hoped that there weren’t more people like them hunting him down.

             At this point, Ludwig had a limited amount of options to consider:

  1. Surrender and see where that takes him.
  2. Try making a break for it and possibly get shot down in the process.
  3. Hope that his marksmanship and experience in combat would help him escape, preferably with a minimal amount of wounds.



             He made his decision and pulled the safety lock. The first one he shot was the familiar face.

             Another was pierced by his bullet. The others pulled out their weapons, so he took off.

             He heard the sound of a bullet fly by him. Then another.

             A sharp pain pierced his left arm. Then his left shoulder.  He kept going.

             He shot at the others, but he was beginning to lose focus from the pain.

             Something stung his leg. He tried moving it, but it was too painful. He was falling now. Another grazed his waist. He could see his blood filling in the crevices of the cobblestone beneath him, almost like a tiny red river. He had been shot before, but not this many times at once. The pain was unbearable. How many bullets had been lodged into him? He couldn’t tell. His breathing grew heavy and his vision began to blur.

             “No, you idiot! We need him ali—“ One of his attackers was interrupted by a cry from above. He couldn’t tell what had stopped her from speaking. As Ludwig lay on the floor bleeding, he strained his eyes and fought against his fading consciousness.

             What he saw seemed like a dream. Something from above landed on the person who spoke and the one next to her. He heard a pained grunt from both of them and they grew silent.  
             The figure stood up from the fall and looked around. It was a hooded person. The last two aimed at the hooded figure from behind. ‘ _Watch out_ ,’ Ludwig lacked the strength to say, but screamed in his mind.

             Almost as if the world had slowed down, he saw the figure dip down as the shot was fired. In the same fluid motion, the figure rose up and grabbed the gun, pulling the opponent closer to them. There was a guttural yelp as if someone’s flesh had been pierced. The figure gripped the gun by its barrel and mercilessly kicked their opponent down to the ground. A shot was accidentally fired at a wall nearby.

             The remaining one shot at the hooded figure, but the figure dropped to the floor just in time and rolled to a crouching stance. The figure fired the gun, shooting the remaining enemy in the shoulder. Before any of them knew it, the hooded figure lunged and tackled them.

              If he weren’t in the process of passing out from the excruciating pain and blood loss, Ludwig would have admired the astonishing speed of this fighter. The entire fight, he struggled to keep his eyes open. The sound of metal slicing through flesh and a suffocated howl rang in his ears. There was a morose thump on the ground and after it an eerie silence, save the ringing in his ears.

             The hooded figure stood up straight and turned to him panting. They dropped the gun and ran to fall to their knees before him.

             His eyelids were too heavy. They closed without his permission. He felt a gentle hand touch his face; it was warm and wet with blood. He used his remaining strength to open his eyes and see who it was. He thought they had opened, but he wasn’t sure if what he saw was a dream or his imagination, for the last thing Ludwig saw was Feliciano’s face.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone remember when I said this fic has no chill?
> 
> ****
> 
> (Also, happy Voltron Season 7 to any other Voltron fans out there!)


	13. A Lot of Explaining To Do

Ludwig awoke with a start.

              His eyes were open, but he was surrounded by darkness. The only light he saw was the glow of a lantern beside where he lay. A brick wall was next to him, bouncing off the dim light of the fire. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. The air smelled of wet stone and whatever the rats left behind. Off in the distance was the faint sound of flowing water. It sounded like he was in some kind of underground tunnel. The sewers, perhaps?

              But how did he even get here?

              The memory of the attack and the hooded figure that saved him flashed in Ludwig’s mind. In the limited light, he slowly sat up and examined himself.

              Blood covered his clothing. The blood was especially dark on his leg, waist, left arm and shoulder. At the center of these stains were holes big enough to for a bullet to pass through.

              A chill ran down his spine.

              There were no wounds. There was no pain, only a slight tingle in the places he recalled being shot. The only solid proof that he had of the attack was the blood and the fact that he had been unconscious until now.

              Ludwig took the lantern and waved it around to assess his surroundings. He was definitely in an underground tunnel. Beside him was the brick wall and on his opposite side was the entrance to what he assumed were rest of the tunnels. Beneath him was a pallet. A bloody coat was folded up as a pillow for him. Upon further examination, it was his own coat. He looked through the pockets hoping for some kind of clue, but he found none.

              The lantern still had a considerable amount of oil, so whoever lit it hadn’t been gone for too long. Judging by the lantern and the fact that he was somehow alive after that entire ordeal meant that someone had come to his aid and brought him here to heal. It wasn’t quite an ideal place to rest, but it was probably closer than a hospital.

              But how long had he been there? How long had he been unconscious?

               Also, where was Feliciano?

              He had to find him and make sure he was okay. What if there were more of those people who found him… or worse? Ludwig took another look around to find possible exits. The tunnel seemed to be the only option. After a moment, Ludwig caught the sound of footsteps in the distance. His heart leapt in his chest.

              From what he could hear, the steps were quick and light. Whoever it was, they were fast approaching. He looked around for his pistol which was placed on the side next to where the lantern had been. Thankfully it was there. He took it and checked for bullets. There were two left.

              Hopefully he wouldn’t have to use them.

              The sound of the steps grew more coherent as they approached. Ludwig had no place or time to hide, so he would have to confront whoever was coming. He hoped it was the person who saved him.

              He moved the lantern forward to see further down the tunnel and he heard the footsteps suddenly stop. The faint flickers of light at the other end of the tunnel gradually grew brighter. Another lamp. A deep breath was taken in through their nose and out through the mouth. The steps continued, but slower now.

              They were now at the end of the tunnel. He could see that they were holding a lantern, but he couldn’t see the mysterious person’s face. Ludwig raised his pistol. “Who’s there?” His voice echoed. They approached carefully. The figure remained silent and continued. Now that Ludwig focused on his surroundings, he realized that this place was much bigger than he thought. It was clear that he was now in some sort of supply storage area because the room was filled with crates lining the walls. He watched cautiously as the person approached.

              Putting the lantern down, the hooded figure raised their free hand and carefully approached Ludwig. “Who are you?” He asked. His pistol was still pointed. The figure stopped in front of him and slowly took off their hood.

              “Pointing a gun at me again?” A sardonic smile was on Feliciano’s familiar face. He spoke with a smooth, sobered tone. His eyes were the same from that mysterious night in Vienna. They were sad and tired, but this time, they contained a tinge of warmth. “Hello, Ludwig.”

              Ludwig couldn’t believe his eyes. He put his pistol down. Feliciano stood before him. He had changed his clothing to an indigo coat, a white shirt, light gray pants, and the same brown boots. It seemed like he came back with supplies in his bag. “Feliciano…?“

              “I’m sorry, Ludwig…” His tone sounded as if those words had been welling up inside him for so long and had finally burst forth. Feliciano didn’t dare to look up as he placed his things on a nearby crate. “I know, it’s—it’s all my fault,” he continued in the same tone. “All of it. I’m so sorry…” His slumped shoulders shook as he was ridden with contained emotion.

              Ludwig was distressed to see him like this and yet he was also exceedingly confused. As happy as he was to see him, why was Feliciano here? Why was he apologizing? And most of all, “How am I alive right now? …What happened?”

              Feliciano’s breath staggered. He finally dared to look up into his eyes. Ludwig saw that his eyes were asking for permission to approach him. Ludwig nodded. Feliciano fell to his knees before him so that they were at eye level and he held Ludwig in a tight embrace. Feliciano took a deep, shaky breath and leaned his head on him. His feigned composure was breaking quickly. He held him tightly as he spoke. “I’m so sorry… But i-it’s okay now, Ludwig. You’re safe here.” He took a moment to recompose himself the best he could and let go. “I brought you some water.” He moved quickly to grab a container, opened it, and gave it to him. “You’re probably thirsty after all of this.”

              Ludwig accepted it and drank from the container. He didn’t realize how parched he was until the water hit his tongue. He drank most of it and set the container down.

               “I brought your bag with your things. I also uh…. checked out of the hotel. It isn’t safe there anymore. This place was the best I could do on such short notice with all the police running around.” He said as he rummaged through the stuff he was holding on a stack of crates. The way Feliciano stood had his face turned away from him. It was strange hearing his tone of voice sound so subdued. “How are you feeling?”

              “I’m…” Ludwig looked at himself again, “better than I thought I’d be…” Oddly enough, he felt okay. More than anything, he felt confused.

              Feliciano paused to let out a sigh of relief. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear that!” He could hear the smile in his voice return for a moment. “I wasn’t sure if—” He paused to give him his bag. “Here. I hope you don’t mind that I took out the bullets and cleaned the blood off of you earlier,” he shyly spoke. “I only left to get you some things.” He looked at him for the second time. “Can you stand?”

              “I think so.” With that, Feliciano carefully helped him up and went back to rummage in the bag while Ludwig changed.

              As he began to change, Ludwig felt for any traces of the gunshot wounds. He felt nothing but an echo of what should have been pain where he was shot. He couldn’t fathom what was happening and Feliciano seemed reluctant to answer any of his questions. He opened the bundle of clothes in his bag and was pleased to see his gray Henley shirt and brown pants in the condition that he left them in. He finished by rolling the sleeves up to the ends of his forearms and turned around. “Feliciano?”

              “…Yes?” He responded as if he dreaded what was coming next. Ludwig knew he would have to take it slowly.

              “How did we get here?”

              “…I brought you here.” He stopped rummaging in the bag. His hand that was still inside dropped whatever he was pretending to busy himself with.

              “By yourself?” Feliciano seemed tense. He drew a deep breath as he slowly turned around to face him.

              “Do you… remember what happened?”

              “I do… I was attacked by one of the men that attacked you back in Germany and some others… I was shot. Four times.” He held his arm, remembering the pain. “I thought I was going to die, but I overheard one of them saying that they wanted me alive. They were going to take me.” He took a second to think. “But then someone saved me… I couldn’t tell who it was until maybe…” He paused for a moment and looked from the floor to Feliciano who stood there with a knowing look in his eyes.

              He nodded. “It was me, Ludwig. I saved you.”

              There was a moment of silence before Ludwig responded. “So it wasn’t a dream…”

              Feliciano tilted his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

              He spoke with a light smile. “The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was your face. I thought I was just imagining things.” He heard Feliciano chuckle. “What’s funny?”

              “Oh no, I just… I’m very touched to hear that I’d be the last thought on your mind.” Now there was a tinge of disbelief and a bit of a smile on his face too.

              “So… you saved me…?” Feliciano nodded in reply. “How?” Whatever trace of a smile there was on his face had faded.

              “You saw me fight, didn’t you?”

              “Wait… that was _you_?!” Ludwig could barely even imagine Feliciano hurting a fly. The incident on the train was an accident, but what’s more now that he had intentionally _killed!_ Not to mention, he killed _multiple_ people… The Turkish man’s words echoed in his mind: _like a demon._

              So he didn’t mishear. Recalling the astonishing speed with which he saw the figure—no, Feliciano fight, Ludwig knew that the Turkish man’s description wasn’t much of an exaggeration.

              Yet looking back at Feliciano as he was, he seemed so harmless. It was hard to believe that _he_ of all people would be capable of such things, that he _had_ done such things. Knowing this, it was almost as if Ludwig were looking at a completely different person. The clues he gathered over their time together seemed to add up now. So this brutal ability of his is what he had been hiding.

              Finally snapping out of his stupor, Ludwig realized that he must have been making some expression at Feliciano, for he asked, “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

              For a moment, he remembered that night in the hotel when Feliciano had asked him the same question as they lay in bed together. This person before him wasn’t some murderer or a demon. This was still the same Feliciano, whose eyes once more searched his for an answer.

              “Of course not. Why would I be?” He responded softly. “I’m just… very confused.”

              Feliciano took a deep breath. “I owe you an explanation, don’t I?”

              “Please.”

              “I was with my brother and I got worried. I went looking for you, but I came too late… I ended up… doing what I had to.” He looked down to the floor as he began to fidget. “I really hoped you wouldn’t have to see that side of me.” He spoke sheepishly.

              “I thought you said you didn’t like violence.”

              His eyes darted back and forth from him to the floor. “I don’t… I _really_ don’t. But I never said I wasn’t… skilled at it.” The corners of his mouth stretched to a discomfited frown.

              “And you said you weren’t a soldier.”

              “I wasn’t. I never was. I didn’t lie about that, Ludwig, I promise. The more he talked, the faster he spoke. “I just… left some things out of my story.” He looked back into his eyes.

              A little frown was on Ludwig’s face. “I kind of wish you told me sooner.” He looked off to the side, deep in thought.

               “I’m sorry for not telling you. I just… didn’t know _how_ to. But I really did lose my memories back then. That night in Vienna, I remembered everything. I didn’t want to involve you in this mess, but it came to this and I… I have a lot of explaining to do, don’t I?” He seemed nervous.

              “But before that,” Ludwig said as he closed the space in between them. He gently took Feliciano’s hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. Ludwig then pulled Feliciano closer to hold him in his arms, which surprised him.  “Thank you for protecting me, _liebling._ ” He gently kissed his forehead. Feliciano gripped onto his lover’s clothing and gave a sigh of relief. He burst into tears.

              “I-I thought I was going to lose you!” Feliciano spoke through his sobbing. “If only I came in time, then you wouldn’t have—“

              “But you did, Feliciano. And I’m grateful for that. I’m here, aren’t I?” He reassured him and continued to hold Feliciano as he cried into his chest.

              “I was so afraid you’d hate me for letting this happen to you! I was so careful, but—“

              “How many times do I have to say that I could never hate you?” Ludwig smiled and gently led Feliciano’s chin up so that they looked each other in the eyes. “ _Ich liebe dich._ I love you so much, more than anything in this world, Feliciano. Don’t ever forget that, okay?” With his fingers still on Feliciano’s chin, he held him there so that he could give him a gentle kiss.

              Feliciano’s tears had ceased. His smile returned and he said, “Thank you, Ludwig. _Ti amo!_ I love you _so_ much! _”_

              After another passionate kiss and a long embrace, Feliciano was able to gather his bearings. “Now why don’t we sit down and talk?” Ludwig led him to the pallet so they could sort things out.

 

In the time that they talked, Ludwig was able to fill in some blanks of the parts of Feliciano’s story that he left out:

  1. He was from a wealthy family that ran a wine business, but had a secret hobby for fighting and weaponry. Oddly enough, it came in handy during the war.
  2. Like everyone else in his family, Feliciano had been trained to be a skilled fighter.
  3. He had concealed weapons he kept on himself out of habit. More specifically, hidden blades on his wrists.
  4. The people like Miss Elizabeta and Sadık that they ran into along the way were from similar families that all knew each other.
  5. Feliciano’s family business also included collecting and preserving ancient artifacts on the side, so before they met in Germany, Feliciano was bringing an artifact to his brother in Rome. The people chasing him are after the artifact too.



              “Which is what leads me to the question you asked me earlier.”

              “Which question?”

              “When you asked me why you’re still alive.”

              Suddenly, Ludwig was reminded of why they were here in the first place. “Now that I think of it, my wounds disappeared like the wound on your head from before. Is it connected?”

              Feliciano nodded and slightly grinned. “It is.”

              “Was it you? How did you do it?”

              “Why don’t I show you?” Feliciano got his bag and pulled out a box wrapped in cloth. He carefully unwrapped and opened it to reveal an ankh carved from stone. When Feliciano took the artifact in his hand, it began exude a golden glow.

              Ludwig had seen ankhs in museums and books about ancient Egypt, but he had never seen a stone ankh like this with the ability to glow when it was touched. “What is it?”

              “The thing that started all of this mess.” Feliciano held it with both hands and looked at it fondly. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

              Ludwig looked at it and back to Feliciano. “It is. But what exactly is it?”

              “It goes by many names: Crux Ansata, the Key of Life, or whatever else others like to call it in their own language. It took me years and I went through _a lot_ to find it.” He spoke matter-of-factly. “I wasn’t sure if it really even existed, but here it is.”

              Ludwig noticed that the ankh’s golden light reflected off of Feliciano’s amber eyes. He couldn’t help but think about how stunning he was in the glow of its light.

               “It’s from a _very_ long time ago. It’s said that it was once used by the ancient gods themselves.” He turned it around to show the other inscriptions all around the ankh.

              “Are there others like it?”

              “Not exactly. There are items like this from the same maker, but the other ones I know of are weapons. We collect these to keep them out of the wrong hands, but this one is different. I’m not sure why the ancient gods would need something like this, but there is one thing about it that I’m sure of. His voice grew softer as he looked at the ankh with a tender admiration. “It heals.” He looked up from the ankh and into Ludwig’s eyes with a lingering trace of wonderment in his own. “It healed my wound in Germany and restored my memories in Austria. It also saved your life, Ludwig.”

              Ludwig was in awe. He was in awe of the item itself, the fact that he was able to know of its secret existence, and even had the honor of being saved by its mysterious abilities. That something amazing as this was in existence and that it was powerful. Powerful enough to restore memories and even save one from the clutches of death.

              “Here, let me show you.” Ludwig heard something shift and click. The next thing he saw was a blade protruding from Feliciano’s sleeve and he inhaled sharply from surprise, still not used to it being there. Before Ludwig could object, Feliciano had placed the ankh on his lap and slit his own palm.

              “Wait!” Ludwig reached for Feliciano’s bleeding hand and looked at him with concern for his sanity.

              “It’s okay, I promise.” he smiled. Feliciano retracted the blade back into his sleeve with a smooth motion and picked the ankh up with his free hand. “See?” He picked up the ankh and drew it over his hand. A sudden golden flash of light flooded the room just as quickly as it had faded. All that was left on Feliciano’s hand was the blood from a cut that was no longer there. “It takes longer on the bigger wou—“

              “Please don’t do that to yourself!” Ludwig said with worry. He held his hand carefully even though it had been healed.

              Feliciano apologetically smiled at him. “I’m sorry, Ludwig. I didn’t mean to scare you, it was just a cut.” He used his other hand to wipe the blood off of his palm. He lifted Ludwig’s hand that was holding his own and kissed it gently, making Ludwig blush. “I won’t do it again, okay?”

              “Fine…” He said, still feeling a bit flustered.

              Feliciano explained the lengths he took to find the ankh (which was quite a painstaking process, not to mention.) It involved quite a lot of running, dangerous encounters, and running from said dangerous encounters.

              Ludwig could hardly believe it, but knowing Feliciano, it was possible. It also explained why Feliciano was so agile. “And you’re saying that after all that danger, you managed to not kill anyone?”

              Feliciano nodded. “I’m proud of that too,” he said as he tucked the ankh back in its box. “I avoid killing as much as possible. I only do it when it’s absolutely necessary.” He wrapped up the box and put it in his bag. “That’s been my code for years.” _Not enough years, though,_ he thought to himself. He looked to Ludwig. “You’ve killed before, being in the war and all, right?”

              “Of course. But I never killed anyone that wasn’t a soldier.”

               “So I see.” Feliciano smiled at that. “I know this is kind of weird to say, but I’m glad you’re not a murderer, Ludwig. You may have killed people, but you did because you had to follow orders. That means you’re still a good person. In my eyes, at least.”

              Ludwig thought about what he said for a few seconds. “I’m… sorry you had to kill those people for my sake. I don’t know how I could ever make that up to you.”

              “You don’t have to, Ludwig. It’s fine. I made my decision and I don’t regret it at all. If I hadn’t acted quickly, we wouldn’t be sitting here together right now.” He took his hand and gripped it tightly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Ludwig. The thought of losing you again scares me more than anything.” He let go of his hand and left no room for Ludwig to respond. “Anyway, we should probably get out of here, huh? It’s kind of creepy in here, isn’t it?”

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing more romantic than explaining your secret talent of murdering people to your long-lost boyfriend, eh?
> 
> So close, yet so far! If you haven't noticed, Feliciano is EXTREMELY stubborn.
> 
> Also, the ankh is really a canon item in the Assassin's Creed universe. It doesn't have much lore to it, but it's legit.   
> http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Ankh


	14. Caro mio

“What is this place anyway?”

              Ludwig asked as they passed through the narrow tunnels. The sound of flowing water grew stronger the longer they walked. 

              “It’s our storage system. We have a network of tunnels throughout the city that’s connected to the sewers. It’s also good for getting around _Roma_ quickly. Only my family and a few of our close friends know about this. It’s an Auditore legacy built even before the renaissance period. Isn’t that cool?” Feliciano’s voice reverberated in the tunnels when he spoke.

__

              _So his name is Feliciano Auditore,_ Ludwig noted in his mind. He hadn’t heard of the family name before, but he assumed it was an Italian noble family name, considering the asset they were walking through right now. “ _Ja,_ definitely.” Ludwig almost forgot to reply. “How much farther until we get to… Where are we going?”

__

              “You’ll see. We just need to climb that wall over there and go up the stairs to be on ground level again.” After they walked a few more feet, they were out of the tunnel. He pointed to a wall that had protruding bricks and a broken ladder against it.

__

              Ludwig looked around the spacious room with wooden frames that seemed to be providing structure to keep the stone from caving in. Aside from the miscellaneous crates surrounding the room, the place seemed as if it were untouched for decades.

__

              “I hope you don’t mind climbing! The stairs rotted away so badly that we just took them out and climb up and down the bricks. For the crates, we use the pulley.” Feliciano said as they reached the wall and looked up. “Follow my lead. Some of the structure isn’t really reliable to climb on.”

__

              “With tunnels like these, I’m guessing treasure hunting is second nature to you.” Ludwig said as he followed Feliciano up the wall.

__

              “Yup! You’ll be surprised to know how many of these are hidden around Europe. The old nobility really had a thing for secret tunnels, I guess.” The two reached the top and walked down another tunnel to find a set of stairs spiraling upwards.  “Almost there!”

__

              The staircase didn’t go for very long. Once they reached the end, there was a wooden door with intricate metalwork on the frame. There was a sliding sound and a click. Ludwig looked to Feliciano and saw the blade sticking out of his sleeve. He didn’t think he would ever get used to that.

__

              Feliciano inserted the blade into the keyhole and twisted it to unlock it. “’Here we are!” Feliciano spoke in a lower volume and retracted his blade. “We’re just going to head over to my room and get some food and a bath. Is that okay?”

__

              “Of course.” Although it was a small matter, the blade being a key was another surprise Ludwig needed some getting used to.

__

 

__

Upon entering the room, Ludwig realized the extent of Feliciano’s wealth.

__

              There was a large bed draped with blue and gold curtains. As Feliciano turned on the lamps around the room, he began to realize how large and opulently decorated the bedroom was. It looked quite similar to the fancy hotels that Feliciano insisted that they stay in during their travels. He saw Feliciano turn on a light by the fireplace and noticed a family crest above it. A couple of rapiers were stored right underneath it, crossing together in their decorative wall mounts. Finally, Feliciano moved to the darkened corner in the room and turned on the light to reveal an easel and a bunch of scattered art materials.

__

              “ _Bene_ ,” Feliciano mused to himself as he checked the bed. “My brother is so kind! He put fresh sheets out for me!” He took a look around the room. “I haven’t been to this room in a while, but my old art is right where I left it!” Feliciano looked at all the sketches scattered around a corner of the room and moved towards them.

__

              Ludwig walked over to join him. He picked up a piece of paper and saw a skillfully made drawing of a man who seemed to be about forty at least. He wore a hooded coat with belts that had pouches attached. He seemed to be relaxed and kindly smiling at something or someone as he sat in a chaise lounge.  The date scribbled in the corner dictated that this pencil drawing was about thirteen years old. Ludwig looked up from the paper and saw the exact chaise lounge that had been sketched.

__

              “Look, here’s a drawing I made of my brother when I was little!” Feliciano said cheerfully. He noticed what Ludwig was looking at and his smile softened. “Wanna guess who that is?”

__

              “Is this your father?”

__

              “Close. That man is my _nonno_ , my grandfather.” Feliciano stood next to Ludwig to get a better look at the picture. “Ah, I remember this moment! Lovino was telling him a story about how he fought off some mean kid who tried to take his candy. He looked so peaceful and happy there, so I _had_ to sketch him.”

__

              “Your drawings are beautiful,” Ludwig said as he examined the drawings before him.

__

              “Thank you,” Feliciano smiled. “You know, I wanted to be an artist when I was younger. I was even signed up to go to an art school.” Ludwig gave Feliciano the paper and he took it carefully. “But then the war broke out. Then our parents were taken by the war, so my _nonno_ mostly took care of me and Lovi and taught us how to defend ourselves. But when the war got more desperate, he had to leave too… And you can guess what happened.” He said softly. He placed the papers down on the table full of other abandoned drawings and art supplies. “Anyway, enough sad stories. Stay here and I’ll get you some food. I’ll be back soon!” He sounded like he had finally bounced back to his usual happy self.

__

             

__

After the couple ate then bathed, they pulled up the chaise lounge and sat by the lit fireplace.

__

              Feliciano let out a sigh of contentment. “I wish it could always be like this, Ludwig.” He said longingly. “Hey, we should travel the world together! I’ve always wanted to leave Europe. I’d love to see places like Japan… and America!” Feliciano said excitedly.

__

              Ludwig thought for a moment and replied. “That’s pretty far, but I wouldn’t mind seeing those places either. We should probably learn some of the languages first.” He chuckled.

__

              “We should definitely go! …After we find your brother, of course.” Suddenly, Ludwig remembered his missing brother, and that there was a world beyond the two of them. He remembered that he was just on the brink of death mere hours ago, and the weight of their situation as a whole. Feliciano noticed the change in his mood. “Ludwig? What’s wrong?”

__

              “Ah, sorry, I just… remembered how much we just dealt with. Which reminds me…” He turned to face Feliciano. “How long has it been since you saved me from that…” He paused, recalling the pain and bloodshed. “…incident?”

__

              Feliciano’s smile fell. He looked to the floor and a pensive expression was on his face. “Well, it’s early morning now.” His eyes widened as he seemed to realize something. “I should probably tell my brother about what happened.” He put his fingers to his chin. “I’ll do that later when he comes back. I just want to enjoy as much time as I can with you.” He said as he snuggled up to Ludwig.

__

              “But what about those people who attacked us? Won’t there be more?”

__

              “ _Caro mio_ , There will always be more of them.” Feliciano sighed. My brother and our friends probably took care of them for now, so we should be okay for a while. You should rest and not worry about it. I’ll take care of things later.”

__

              That answer did not satisfy Ludwig. “What do you mean by that?”

__

              “By what?”

__

              “Are you saying you’re going to go out there again and fight?” Feliciano removed himself from Ludwig so that they could face each other.

__

              “What other choice do I have?” He frowned, but spoke with an even tone. “I’ll take care of things. It’s only right that I make this up to you.” He took his hand and kissed it, then held it up to his cheek. “So whatever happens, I’ll make sure you’re never in danger again, okay?”

__

              “Feliciano—“

__

              He gripped his hand tighter. “Please, just trust me and don’t worry about it, okay? Once I take care of it, we can—”

__

              “I won’t let you do that.” Ludwig said as he removed his hand. “Feliciano, you’re not going to go out there by yourself to do something that could get you killed! Especially if there’s something I can do about it. Who knows how many of them are out there? What if there are too many for you to take on? What if your brother and comrades aren’t there to help? That ankh can heal, but it can’t save you from a bullet in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He gripped Feliciano’s hand. “I know how you like to run off by yourself. But you don’t have to do that anymore, Feliciano. I’m here too, you know? You don’t have to face it alone.”

__

              Their eye contact broke when Feliciano looked down and away. “So you’ve noticed…”

__

              “Of course I have. I didn’t want to pry, but now that I know what you do, I can’t let you go out there alone. I won’t let you leave me where I can’t find you anymore. Please, let me go with you.”

__

              Feliciano thought of the young boy who waited in Austria for letters from a certain young soldier. He remembered how the young boy wished for the ability to change things. He thought of the assassin who did. He understood how Ludwig felt, but…

__

              Feliciano slipped his hand away. “No, Ludwig. _Please_ , just let me do this for you! I’d rather die than put you in danger again!!!” Ludwig sat there in silence with eyes wide, for this was the first time Feliciano raised his voice at him. “I just need you to stay somewhere safe and—“

__

              “Feliciano,” Ludwig said firmly as he drew closer. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.” His voice softened as he looked into his eyes. “You know, I thought I knew how the world worked, but once you… _dropped_ into my life… again, you made me realize that I have so much more to learn. You let me experience more wonderful things than I ever imagined I would. You even taught me what love is… And I love you, Feliciano; more than anything in this world. You are the best thing that’s happened to me and I’m not just going to sit here as if I’m helpless while you’re out there risking your own life!”

__

              Feliciano could see the beginnings of tears welling in his eyes. God, did it hurt him to see him this way, to know he was the cause of his distress.  But he needed to draw the line. Feliciano took his hand away and looked down to the floor. “It’s not that simple, Ludwig. I’m not letting you go out there with me. I know what I’m doing.”

__

              “What if you get surrounded like you did back in Germany? Who will help you then?”

__

              He took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. “I’m used to fighting alone. I could have easily handled them. Back then, I was about to draw my blades, but you came in unexpectedly and that distracted me. I don’t want you to slow me down again.”

__

              Ludwig knew that Feliciano chose those words to sting. It definitely worked.

__

              “So that’s how it is?”

__

              Silence.

__

              “Then fight me.”

__

              “What?!” Feliciano looked back to him and saw the determination in his eyes.

__

              “Fight me, Feliciano. And don’t hold back on me either. Now that I can, I want to see how well you really fight.”

__

              He was in disbelief. “Are you crazy?! Ludwig, I just saved your life a matter of hours ago! There’s no way I would ever—“ Before he could finish his sentence, Ludwig grabbed the rapiers off of the wall mount and tossed one in Feliciano’s direction. He caught it by the handle without a second thought and looked at Ludwig incredulously. “Ludwig, I mean it, I—“

__

              Ludwig came at him with the sword and Feliciano parried just in time, causing him to fall off the chaise lounge and land on his back. Ludwig swung, but Feliciano rolled out of the way and got into a proper stance. Ludwig saw this and a light of excitement flashed in his eyes. He continued to swing and thrust, pushing him backwards, but Feliciano was quick and able to hold his own. The two eventually made their way to the center of the bedroom where there was more open space to fight.

__

              Their hearts raced as they displayed their best sword work. Ludwig’s thrusts were strong and powerful, but Feliciano was able to swiftly handle them with ease and flexibility. After several exchanges, Ludwig was able to, with his own strength, knock Feliciano’s rapier from his hand. This earned him an impressed look from his opponent.

__

              There was an amused smile on Feliciano’s face. He removed his sweaty shirt, revealing leather braces on his wrists. “You know,” with a shift and a click, both of his blades were out. “I wish I’d asked you to spar with me ages ago!” He lunged.

__

              This round, Feliciano seemed to be even more proficient with his blades, causing more trouble for Ludwig. With the two blades alone, he was faster and had more impact than he did with the rapier. Ludwig grinned at this. Now he _really_ wasn’t holding back on him. It was amazing to see how his loving, gentle Feliciano could also be the skilled fighter before him that was really working him over, and doing so quite gracefully.

__

              They continued to exchange blows until Feliciano was finally able to knock the rapier out of Ludwig’s grasp with his own strength. The two of them saw that the sword had lodged itself into the polished wood of the mantle. Ludwig took this as an opportunity to remove his own sweaty shirt and tackle Feliciano to the ground.

__

              “Ludwig, wai—“ Feliciano raised his hands and made sure to retract his blades before either of them could actually get hurt. The blunt force of Ludwig landing on him knocked the wind out of him. Making sure his blades were locked, he began to push back. In turn, Ludwig pinned his arms to the plush carpet on the floor. The two of them were heavily panting.

__

              “Do you think I’d get in the way now? My rank as captain wasn’t for show, you know.” At this, Feliciano gave a playful smile. He took advantage of how close their faces were and he pecked Ludwig on the lips, catching him off guard. He took this opportunity to free his arms and grab Ludwig so that he could push him to the floor and get on top of him instead.

__

              “I’m sorry, what was that, _captain?_ ” He chuckled. Ludwig began to laugh with him. He brought his hand to the back of Feliciano’s head and gently led him down into a kiss. Feliciano kissed him back, but a bit harder. Ludwig followed suit. From then on, the world around them disappeared once more.

__

              Before they knew it, they had moved to the bed and continued to kiss. Feliciano moved down to Ludwig’s neck and pulled away, still panting. “Ludwig,” he said breathily. There was a fire in his amber eyes now. The image of Feliciano on top of him shirtless, flushed, and sweaty was so beautiful, that he couldn’t help but gape. Feliciano called his name again.

__

              “Y-yes?” He stammered as he was snapped out of his stupor.

__

              Feliciano’s expression now was careful, but bright-eyed. “D…do you want to…?”

__

              “Do I want to…” Ludwig realized what Feliciano was asking as he spoke. Suddenly, his face grew warm at the thought of what he wanted. “I-I uh…”

__

              “It’s uh— okay if you don’t.” Feliciano hopped off and sat beside him. Ludwig sat up on the bed and they faced each other. “It’s just that…” He began to fidget. “I don’t think I can go on any longer without…” He looked off to the side with embarrassment. “I-If not, we can just go a little more and I can take care of it in the bathroom, I don’t mind, really.”

__

              Ludwig looked at Feliciano. Shirtless, flushed, and sweaty. He was so beautiful. And for some reason, Feliciano wanted him so badly. Looking into Feliciano’s eyes, he wondered how he could ever say no to this.

__

              “I uh… don’t really know how to, though…” He said shyly. “But I want to.” He said eagerly.

__

              “Is that a yes?”

__

              “Yes.”

__

              Feliciano grew excited. “ _Eccelente!_ I have some stuff we can use in my bag! Feliciano said as he began to remove his pants. “Don’t worry, I’ll show you how!”

__

              “Wait, so who’s going to…? _How_ are we going to…?”

__

              Feliciano was naked now and standing on the floor. He turned around and pointed to his butt. “In here.” He saw Ludwig look at his rear and flush even harder. Feliciano smiled. “Hm? It’s not like you haven’t seen any of this before.” He indicated his body and then headed to his bag to get what they needed.

__

              “It’s not that, it’s just… in THERE?!” Ludwig’s voice went up an octave as he asked. “H-How?! Have you ever done ever this before?! I-is it even possible?!” He stared after Feliciano who turned around with a little bottle and waved it in the air playfully.

__

              “With this!” He continued to smile and head back to the bed with Ludwig. “And no, I’ve never done this before. But I have a good idea of what to do. It is _definitely_ possible.” He explained as he unbuttoned Ludwig’s pants and helped him out of the rest of his clothes. “We’ll take it slow. If you’re not comfortable with putting it in, there are other ways we can do it. Now, are you _sure_ you want to?” He asked again.

__

              “Yes, of course. Will you be okay, though…?” He asked nervously.

__

              “Of course! Just relax and we’ll take it as far as you’re comfortable. Do you trust me?” Feliciano leaned in for another kiss to reassure him.

__

              “With my life.”

__

 

__

* * * * *

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll leave it up to your imagination as to how far they really went, cuz I'm not about to write smut.
> 
> All details about the underground tunnels are from my vague memories of playing AC Brotherhood years ago. Pour one out for our boi, Ezio Auditore da Firenze.


	15. A Big Difference Between Us

Feliciano awoke happily in Ludwig’s arms.

              He lay there for a while, making sure to take in every detail of this precious moment: Ludwig sleeping peacefully, the sound of the fire, and the warmth of his arms were all he needed to be in absolute bliss. He would stay this way forever if he could.

 

_I feel wherever I go_

_That tomorrow is near, tomorrow, is here and always too soon_

              Feliciano kissed Ludwig on the forehead, gently waking him up. “ _Buon pomeriggio, mi amore!_ ” He said sweetly. “Did you have fun this morning?”

              Ludwig lazily opened his eyes to see Feliciano smiling at him and his heart was in pure bliss. He remembered what they had done a matter of hours ago, and all he could say with a blushing face and amazement in his eyes was “ _Ja_.” The intimacy that they had shared was a bit awkward at first, but as Feliciano encouraged him patiently, they were both able to achieve something wonderful. He smiled and leaned in to kiss him. “Thank you, _liebling_. So it’s afternoon already?”

              “Yup! Are you hungry? I can make us something if you want.”

              Ludwig grumbled and buried his face in the crook of Feliciano’s neck. “Not yet. I want to stay here with you a bit longer. Feliciano giggled as Ludwig tickled his neck with his nose for a moment. Ludwig then gently kissed his neck and slowly worked up to his lips. Their lips lingered on each other and they slowly parted.

              “Okay, then.” The two lay there for a while, enjoying each other’s presence and stealing another moment of peace. Their fingers entwined as they casually exchanged kisses. At that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of them and the little world they created for themselves.

 

_Time is so old and love so brief_

_Love is pure gold and time a thief_

               “By the way, how are you feeling? Are you okay?” Ludwig asked as Feliciano held him closer and began to trace his collarbone.

              “Yup!” He smiled happily.

              “Okay, just let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.” A peck on his forehead. The bruise on it was long gone.

              “Alright, same he—“ Feliciano was stopped mid-sentence. He let go of Ludwig and sat up.

              “What’s wrong?” Feliciano didn’t respond. He only got up further and climbed out of bed, scrambling to pick up his clothes and put them on. Was it something he said…?

              “Have you seen my shirt?! Where is it?” He found it by the mantle and picked it up to smell it. “Eh…” He ran to the dresser and pulled out another shirt that looked similar and hastily put it on.

              “Feliciano, what’s wrong?” Ludwig asked with concern. He didn’t have to wait long to find out what the problem was. He heard it with his own ears.

              “ _FRATELLO, SEI QUI?”_ A loud, almost piercing voice rang out from somewhere else in the building. Lovino. At that, Ludwig got up and began to also scramble for his clothes.

              “No, it’s okay, Ludwig, you don’t have to—“

              “FELICIANO!” The voice called out again. This time, it came closer.

              But Ludwig continued anyway. He was looking for his own shirt, but another, cleaner one of his was tossed onto his face. “Thanks.”

              Feliciano had just put on his other shoe when a knock came at the door. “Feliciano?”

              “ _Sì, sì, un momento per favore!_ ” Feliciano called out, trying to buy any time he could. The two could hear a sigh of relief from the other end of the door and a little tap on it.

              “Thank God! I was getting worried! Why didn’t you come to the meeting last night? Where’d you go?”

              “Oh, I wasn’t able to make it in time.” He said as he was struggling to tie his shoelace. “There was a bit of a uh… situation, but everything’s okay.” Ludwig saw him having trouble and swooped in to help do it for him. “ _Danke_ ,” he whispered with a wink, making Ludwig slightly blush.

              “Oh.” Lovino said on the other side of the door. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt are you? Also, is the ankh safe?”

              “Ah yes, I’m fine. It’s here, I have it.” He said as he scrambled to fix the bed. “ _Sitze dort bitte,_ ” he whispered as he indicated to the chaise lounge for Ludwig to sit.

              “Are you going to open up or not?” Lovino asked. He was growing impatient.

              “Oh, sorry! Coming!” Feliciano started to the door, but tripped on a lump in the rug. Ludwig was about to sit down, but he saw Feliciano trip and rushed to his side.

              “Are you okay?!” Ludwig whispered with concern.

              “Yes, I’m—I’m fine. Don’t worry about—“

              “Feliciano?! Are you okay? I think I heard something. I’m coming in.” Lovino began to open the door. _Oh Dio._

              The couple was wide-eyed as their eyes met with Lovino at the door. He stood there frozen for a second as he made eye contact with Ludwig.

              “YOU!?” Lovino pointed at Ludwig as he continued to help Feliciano up from the floor. “What are _you_ doing here?!”

              “Wait _,_ I can explain!”

 

* * * * *

 

The couple sat on the chaise lounge across from Lovino whose arms were crossed.

              His feet were firmly planted on the floor and a scowl was on his face. Ludwig sat quietly as Feliciano explained the incident where Ludwig ran into him the other day. Apparently Lovino knew how they met in Germany, so Feliciano vaguely explained how the two of them ended up in his room… with the sword stuck in the mantle. All the while, Ludwig looked at Lovino and marveled at how similar the brothers appeared.

              They were almost identical, but with a few exceptions. Feliciano’s hair had an auburn coloration and his strange curl was on the left of his head. His brother’s hair was more of a chocolate brown and had a strange curl that was more towards the front of his head, facing the opposite direction of Feliciano’s. His eyes were a similar shade of amber, but they glinted green in certain angles. He almost seemed like a younger version of Feliciano’s drawing of their grandfather.

              Lovino wore a hooded coat similar in style to Feliciano’s, with the exception that it was forest green instead. His collared shirt was off-white with the top two buttons unfastened and a brown vest laying over it. Around his hips was a leather belt with leather pouches. His pants were a very dark, almost black shade of gray and they were rolled up over brown ankle-length boots. There was no doubt that there would be a pair of blades under those sleeves the same as Feliciano’s.

              Lovino looked to Ludwig again. “So you’re the man my brother chose, huh?” He spoke with narrowed eyes looking him up and down.

              “Yes… If you want to put it that way.” Ludwig calmly spoke.

              “You’re German, right?”

              “Yes.”

              Lovino’s brows furrowed. “And you know who he _is_ , right?”

              “Yes, I know him pretty well…” _What a weird question to ask,_ Ludwig thought. Neither of them noticed that Feliciano had an incredulous look on his face.

              Lovino crossed his arms. “Say, who are you, anyway? You’re not a Templar, are you?”

              “A wha—“

              “Of course not!” Feliciano interjected harshly. The other two looked at Feliciano, surprised by his outburst.

              “Feli,” Lovino said swiftly. “Do you mind if we talk outside?”

              At this, Ludwig gave a puzzled look to Feliciano who sighed and stood up to join his brother for a conversation in the hallway.

 

The two of them closed the door and swiftly spoke in Italian.

              Ludwig listened carefully, only hearing bits and pieces.

               “ _Really?! You’re seeing a German even though we fought them for how many years now?_ ” The word “Templar” was mentioned again.

              “ _Not all Germans are –_ “ The name, “Roderich” was mentioned in another sentence.

              “ _Does he know about this?_ ” A pause. Something was said about remembering. Then more angry Italian as he could hear Feliciano try to reassure him for a while. Finally, there was silence. He thought they were done, but they were just speaking lower, so he quietly put his ear to the door.

_“We found them. They’re at the island. We’re getting our forces together right now, so we strike at—.”_

_“I’m going.”_

_“Are you sure? Isn’t that what they want?”_

_“I’m not afraid. I want to—”_ A pause.

_“Fine. We leave at—“_

_“Okay.”_

_“How about—“_

_“I’ll take care of it.”_

              There was silence. Ludwig quietly rushed back to his seat. Just as he sat down, a knock came at the door. “Yes?” He responded, trying to sound nonchalant. Feliciano opened the door with a smile on only his lips.

              “Sorry about that, my brother was just…” He shook the thought. “Things are okay, no need to worry. Would you like to start making dinner with me?”

 

Ludwig and Feliciano sat together before the fire eating dinner.

              They were finishing the last of the fancy meal that Feliciano insisted on setting up. It was fun to see authentically made Italian food from scratch, and it was even better making and eating it together. They talked as if nothing was wrong and as if their troubles were just some bit of news briefly discussed and then forgotten. Even though he knew there may be eavesdropping ears, Ludwig didn’t care. He had nothing to hide.

              On the other hand, he could sense a bit of urgency in Feliciano’s demeanor as their dinner drew to an end. He could tell that Feliciano had something planned, but he wasn’t entirely sure what it was.

              “Did you like the food? I hope it was okay.” Feliciano spoke as he looked into the fire. “Here, let me take our dishes to the kitchen. I’ll be back soon.” He stood up and swiftly collected the dishes.

              “Wait—“ Ludwig could tell that there was more to the last sentence. He tried to reach for him, but Feliciano moved away from him quickly. All the while, his face was turned away. Ludwig stood up and went after him, grabbing him by the arm. “Don’t tell me you’re going to—“ His sentence was interrupted by the sound of falling dishes and the feeling of a fist punching him right above his stomach.

              “I’m so sorry!” Feliciano cried out as Ludwig doubled over in pain and surprise, trying to catch his breath.

               Before he could recover and continue to go after Feliciano, the door was shut and in the process of being locked by the time he got to it. “Don’t tell me you’re…” He tried opening the door, but the knob didn’t budge. Feliciano had somehow locked the door from outside. Ludwig banged the side of a closed fist on the door.

              “You’re leaving to fight, aren’t you?”

              “I’m sorry, Ludwig.” He said from the other side. “I’m so sorry about all of this. I’m only trying to protect you.”

              “ _Please_ don’t do this!” He said, fruitlessly attempting at the knob again. “Let me help you, Feliciano! I can’t just sit here and let you go like this! We both know I know how to fi—”

              “It’s not about that.” Feliciano interrupted. “I know you’d be helpful. I’d love to fight by your side. Really I would, but I can’t. Not this time.” He sighed. “Ludwig, there’s more I haven’t told you about myself.”

              “What? What do you mean?” Ludwig asked as he still struggled with the door. He had to get through to him somehow.

              “That time on the train, killing those men wasn’t what really bothered me. It was that I realized I couldn’t keep hiding what I was. You know, back then I was going to come clean and part ways, but you stopped me.”

              “What…?“ This sober tone of his was quite unsettling. It was certainly Feliciano, but he spoke as he had during that night in Vienna and in the tunnels.

               “There’s a big difference between us, _caro mio_. Do you remember what I said back in the tunnels? Yes we’ve both taken lives, but you’re still a good person. You killed because you had to. Me, I _chose_ to kill those who had wronged me.”

              As shocking as this confession was, Ludwig’s determination to keep him outweighed everything else at the moment. “But that was your past, Feliciano. I know you. You _are_ a good person.”

              “ _No_ , Ludwig... I’m not. Choices are what make us who we are, and I’ve made mine. All of this my fault, you know? This isn’t your fight. It’s not your job to pay for my mistakes. So _please_ , just let me do this for you and it’ll all be okay.”

              “If you were really a bad person, you wouldn’t care this much. You’re still the Feliciano I know and love. You don’t get to decide whether or not it’s my fight, especially when you’re in danger. I just want to protect you, so please, open the door!”

              There was a pause.

              Was he considering it?

              “You know… last night in the tunnels, your heart stopped beating.” His voice softly quivered. “…I almost lost you twice already. I won’t lose you again.” They were both pressed on each side of the door now.

              “Feliciano, please… Don’t go.”

              There was a moment of stillness and silence. Finally, a shaky sigh from the other side of the door. Was he crying?

              It took all of Feliciano’s willpower to not turn around, open the door, and fall into his arms. God, would that be easier! Everything he wanted was behind that door, but he knew it wouldn’t last if he did nothing about the trouble he put them in. In a way, Ludwig was his past, present, and future. He would perish before he would allow them to slip away from him again. And this was the best way he knew how to protect what he had left.

              “So you’re really going to do this, then?”

              No answer.

              “If you are, then just remember: I’ll always love you more than anyone else in the world. So please, just do whatever it takes and come back. Promise?”

              Feliciano placed a hand over his mouth, holding back a sob.  The young boy from so long ago had truly returned to him! Only this time, Feliciano was the one leaving.

              He took a deep, shaky breath. “You’re making this more difficult than it already is.” A sardonic smile was on his face as he leaned the side of his head on the door. “Ludwig, I _promise_ I’ll be back.”

              Before he could respond, Ludwig heard the sound of Feliciano’s feet quickly carrying him away.

              As soon as the sound of steps faded, Ludwig began to look for a way out of the room.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I said I'd shift this fic into maximum overdrive, I was understating. Now it's time to really shift into MAXIMUM-MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE!!!!


	16. Pretty Words

 

Feliciano walked out of the armory.

              He was now fully equipped with concealed weapons. The weight of all this weaponry in every hidden pocket and pouch he had on his body felt nostalgic. Every knife, smoke bomb, and bullet was made just heavy enough to be effective, but light enough to not slow him down. He never thought he would have to be this heavily equipped again. He had sworn to never do this again, but now those were just pretty words.

              He donned his hood.

              Once more, he was an assassin.

              As he walked out of the building, he felt the crisp night air cool his skin. The feeling of a night such as this brought a memory to the forefront of his mind.

_‘Be sure that this is what you want. Once you take this path, you won’t be able to turn back. You will belong to a brotherhood and a cause more important and much greater than any of us individually.’_

              It was a beautiful, clear night. The assassin read the stars and headed in the direction of the place his brother and comrades said they would be waiting for him.

              _‘Of course. My happiness is a small price to pay for the sake of the world. I want to change things, so I’ll do whatever it takes.’_

              The assassin ran from rooftop to rooftop, all the while planning ahead. Making several routes and backup plans, should anything unexpected happen. Ready to run or fight if necessary. This felt natural. It was strange to think that this life was all he knew at one point. He thought he had left this part of him behind long ago, but he now knew that such a feat was impossible. He realized why he couldn’t escape something so inherent. It was in his blood, in his soul.

_‘If I have to sacrifice my soul to end this war, so be it. Even if the rest of the world may see me as evil…’_

_These were pretty words for someone who just wanted revenge._

The assassin was drawing near.

              He knew because he spotted enemies up ahead.

              They were a bit of a hindrance, but not for long.

              A splatter of crimson hit the stone walls. Then another. This is who he was. This is what he had to do. He didn’t even look these people in the eye, yet he took their lives because they were his enemies and they were in his way.

               God, did he hate it, but it was a necessary means to an end.

              The assassin knew he was getting closer with every step. Every damning step stained with that sickly crimson which yielded progress. And perhaps a tinge of remorse that he did not have time to feel.

              Moments later, the assassin arrived at the rendezvous point. He entered the building and was welcomed to the sight of his brother and a crowd of comrades gathered around him at a large table. His entrance caught everyone’s attention and Lovino looked up from the map he was pointing at.

              Lovino stopped mid-sentence to beckon his brother over. He continued to talk about the layout of the base they were to infiltrate. “We can’t be as organized as we were during the war because we’re trying to snuff them out before they can call for reinforcements. This will have to be quick and with no survivors, got it? There’s a Grandmaster somewhere in that building and we want him dead. From the intel I’ve gotten, he’s a pretty big deal and runs most of the Templar business, so we’ll have to make him a priority. Got it?” Everyone silently nodded and he continued. “Okay, so this is the plan…”

              The next thing the assassin knew, he was silently heading through the underground tunnels with a small group of his comrades. The air around them was tense and the tunnels were faintly lit with their flashlights.

              All the while, he fought with his conscience about what he did to Ludwig. He wondered how things would have played out if he let Ludwig come with him. He definitely wanted to see more of him fighting. He did say he was a captain in the German army, after all.

                _Captain what, though?_ Now that he thought of it, if Ludwig was a captain, he would have had to have a surname. He never got the chance to ask Ludwig more about his family name and if he remembered it. He decided that he would ask him next time.

 

The assassins reached their targeted area.

              _L’isola Tiberina_ , or Tiber Island.  A rather strategic spot, he mused.  There was a limited amount of ways to get in, considering the island was oval-shaped, only had two bridges on each side, and was in the middle of the Tiber River, which ran through the city of Rome. The island used to be the headquarters of the Roman Brotherhood dating all the way back to before the Renaissance period, but the war had landed it in the hands of the government and then into the hands of the Templars.

              Unfortunately for the enemy, Lovino was able to dig out an old building plan that they had of the island. This was how each assassin approaching the island tonight knew the layout of the area and its buildings. They knew where guards would approximately be stationed and where they could possibly hold the Grandmaster.

              Although the island was heavily guarded, they knew this ordeal would all come to an end by the time the sun rose upon the Tiber.

 

There was a limited amount of ways to get onto the island undetected.

              But there was one way that they knew would definitely work: the tunnels. There were tunnels that connected the mainland to the island that went underground and straight into a secret opening in the center of the island.

              Unfortunately, the connected tunnels had been cemented off once the Brotherhood lost control of the island and that wasn’t an option now. They would have to try something else. Thanks to information from a record found by Lovino, there was a way to enter without the tunnels.

              They would simply use the bridges. They would use them the same way the Templars did years ago, but with some improvements, of course.

              They also held another advantage. Today happened to be April 21st, Rome’s City Birthday Celebration. Lovino specially planned the attack to be on this specific evening because there would be fireworks going all night. The city was heavy with police, but their attention would be drawn elsewhere. The fireworks made it a perfect night to cover up the sound of gunfire.

              The assassins waited a few moments for the signal. The roar of the crowd cheering from not too far away by the Colosseum carried to their ears. They were ready to begin.

              “Ready your positions.” Lovino spoke to those near him and signaled with his flashlight to those further. “We’re going in.”

 

The first shot was unexpected.

              It was silent and swift. An arrow cut clean through the neck of an unsuspecting guard sitting and smoking on a parapet. He went limp and fell off a parapet of the _Ponte Fabricio_ and into the Tiber River. The splash was heard by his comrades and they went over to investigate.

              This would prove to be a fatal mistake. As the second guard reached the edge, a blade ran across their throat and they were hoisted over the bridge and into the water. Then another. They drew their weapons, but it was too late. Before them was a group of hooded figures climbing up and onto the bridge. Their looming figures approached swiftly and were the last things the guards would ever see.

              The hooded figures were silent and quick in killing the guards on the bridge. The cover of night was also another factor that allowed them more time before they were to be detected. They knew they would be seen eventually. It was only a matter of time, so they knew they had to be swift in taking out as many guards as they could before it happened.

              There were definitely more Templars on the island than assassins, but that still did not deter them. The assassins prided themselves on their skillfulness in stealth and they were right in doing so, for they had cleared about half of the guards from the outside before one guard could survive long enough to sound the alarm.

This means that they would have to either evacuate or guard the Grandmaster. Either way, the Grandmaster’s location would stick out like a sore thumb.

              It was unfortunate for them that both bridges were inescapable, what with the snipers now discarding their silent crossbows for louder, but more efficient rifles. One set of snipers covering the side with the _Ponte Fabricio_ was led by a French assassin while the other, covering _Ponte Cestio,_ was led by an Austrian assassin.

              The rest of the assassins took to the ground. What they lacked in numbers they made up for with their stealth and skill. From afar, one would be able to tell how systematically they made their way through the island.

              It was practically seamless, how smoothly they glided from target to target in a loose formation. They took preference in using their hidden blades and throwing knives as primary weapons. They only shot their guns when necessary because one never needed to reload a blade.

 

“Do you still remember the formation we took in Barcelona?” Lovino asked his brother who ran beside him.

              “Which one? The one we took in battle or in be—“

              “Not you, Antonio!!!” Lovino interrupted the Spaniard on his other side with a glare.

              “ _Lo siento!_ ” Antonio laughed. His smile fell to a scowl as he stopped to turn around and slice down a guard that was about to shoot them up close. His smile bounced back and he rejoined the brothers as his opponent hit the ground.

              “I think I know what you’re talking about.” Feliciano said to his brother as he barely missed a bullet aimed at his face. Before he could see who shot at him, his brother fired his gun and shot the attacker point blank in the face. Wide-eyed, he looked to Lovino. “ _Grazie!_ ”

              “ _Prego_. Yeah, that one.” Lovino said as he dodged another shot and Feliciano lunged for the person attacking his brother.

              “The one we’re doing right now?” Feliciano asked as they were now back to back. “We also did this during the war, didn’t we?” They both ducked and shot in opposite directions at the same time, killing two more guards.

              “ _Sì_ , this one. If we keep this up, we should be able to get into one of the buildings.” Another shot.

              “Which building is our target?”

              Lovino looked around quickly. He lunged at another guard and ran a blade into his throat. Standing up, he spoke. “Probably the biggest one over there.” He pointed with a bloody blade protruding from his sleeve. “Somewhere in there should be the executive suite and command center.”

              “Isn’t that where our parents—“ The brothers ducked to avoid another bullet. One fired his gun and the other sliced through flesh.

              “I think so… That’s the one they died defending.” said Lovino as he pulled his brother by the sleeve to get behind a stone wall corner for cover.

              “I wonder what’s left of it after all these years…” Feliciano frowned.

              “How about we find out?” Lovino put a bloody hand on his shoulder. “Oh, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to get blood on—“ Another shot. The two looked to see where it came from and they found a fresh corpse with a gun in its hand. Lovino looked around, and bent down to take the gun.

              Feliciano looked out to the other side of the river and waved. “ _Merci beaucoup!_ ” he yelled to the sniper he was certain was Francis. A tiny light flickered from across, most likely acknowledging him. He smiled at this as Lovino rolled his eyes.

              “C’mon, we don’t have time. We need to find the Grandmaster.”

             

With Antonio rejoining them, the three assassins scaled the walls of the large building, trying to find a way in.

              However, the windows were barred shut. They would have to climb to the roof and find another way in on the inner parts of the building.

              They reached the roof and saw a hooded figure standing there reloading their gun. There were a few corpses littered around the rooftop. Lovino and Antonio raised their weapons, unsure of who it was.

              “Wait!” Feliciano stopped them. The figure turned around and turned out to be Elizabeta drenched in blood that wasn’t hers.

              “Fancy meeting you here,” she chuckled. “So I guess we had the same idea, huh?” The three of them smiled and nodded in response. She examined her comrades quickly and said, “If only you guys could see yourselves right no—“

              A gunshot.

              They ducked.

              Where did it come from?

              While they were distracted, a figure came from out from the shadows and grabbed Elizabeta from behind. “You bastard!” She yelped as a knife was held to her throat. Before the knife could get any closer to her, she bit the hand that held the knife and used that as leverage to grab her captor and knock them down. She wondered why this was easier than usual to do and looked at the dead person. There was a throwing knife lodged in her captor’s left eye. She glared at the guys before her. “I had ‘em!”

              “Sorry,” Feliciano shrugged shyly.

              Elizabeta chuckled. “Nevermind that, let’s go.”

 

The four of them climbed and killed until they found an entrance.

              Unfortunately, it was also heavily fortified. But not for long.

              After two smoke bombs, twelve throwing knives, seven bullets, eight wounds, and a small bomb effective enough to blow open the lock, the four were finally able to get into the building.

              They ran down the hall, taking directions from Lovino at every turn and every staircase. Each hallway cleared brought them closer and closer.

 

Blue eyes looked up into the darkened sky.

              A heart beat rapidly with worry for a certain someone. A hand reached for a pistol to check how many bullets were left.

              A clue: _l’isola_. The island.

              A pair of feet took off into the night.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I still can't believe Tiber Island is a thing. There's just... an island chilling there in the middle of the city.  
> The real Tiber Island has a hospital, church, and outdoor theater,* but in the AC universe, it was really HQ for the Roman Brotherhood.** I'm going more for the building structures in ACB for the sake of this AU's continuity.
> 
> * https://www.google.com/maps/place/Isola+Tiberina/@41.89064,12.4762246,359m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sponte+fabricio+street+view!3m4!1s0x132f60498c6aaaab:0x7d4cff70fe4fc474!8m2!3d41.8904522!4d12.4777396
> 
> **  
> https://img00.deviantart.net/1dc6/i/2011/099/5/d/ezio___tiber_island_by_murcuseo-d3cdteu.jpg  
> and  
> https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/theassassinscreed/images/e/e7/ACB_Tiber_Island_Hideout.png/revision/latest?cb=20131024142139&path-prefix=es


	17. You Better Start Running, Boy

The four had their targeted room in sight.

              This building was especially made to give time for those in the command center from invaders. After they finally arrived, the brothers stared at the ornate wooden doors with apprehension. This was the room that their parents laid their lives down to protect. The room that once was the heart of the Roman Brotherhood. And it will be again, soon enough.

              The brothers felt proud to now be taking it back. They were going to pick up where their parents left off. They both looked at each other with a nod as they both had the same idea in mind. They made it this far, but they didn’t expect it to get any easier. They were taught better than that. The four prepared what weaponry they had left as they approached.

              It was eerily silent. Weren’t there supposed to be guards at the door? Perhaps they were the ones that they killed on the way here.

              The brothers opened each door, ready to take down whoever was inside. As they swung it open, there was some resistance, as if the doors were pushing against something. They looked down.

              There was a trip wire activated by pushing the door.

              A shot was fired from inside; the doors slammed shut.

              Antonio fell over, grasping his side and gasping for air. Lovino had crouched next to him in the blink of an eye. “Dammit, no!” He growled through gritted teeth. They had landed right into their trap and now their enemies were ready for them.

              “Keep going,” Antonio said raggedly. “Don’t worry about me.” The other two rushed over to help Lovino move him to the side.

              “Of course I’m gonna _fuckin’_ worry about you, _idiota!!!_ ” Lovino lifted Antonio’s hood off of him to see his face and then checked the gunshot wound.

              “Did it go cleanly through?” Feliciano asked. They gently turned him over to see.

              “Should I go in? They’re still in there.” Elizabeta stood in position as she asked.

              “But didn’t the wire by the door cause the trap to go off?” Feliciano said as he reached for something from inside his coat.

              “I’ve dealt with worse. Just take Antonio and go; I can handle this!”

              “You’re not going in there alone!” Feliciano said. “Just give me a moment, I’ll go with you.” He turned to his brother. “I’m going to need all of you to cover your eyes. It’s going to get really bright for a second.”

              “What are you—“ Before they could ask, Feliciano pulled the glowing ankh out from inside his coat and placed it to Antonio’s wound. The hallway they were in filled with an intense golden light and flickered out just as quickly.

              The four of them opened their eyes and saw that Antonio’s wound was mostly healed. The others looked at Feliciano in shock and amazement as he wrapped up the ankh and hid it away on himself once more. He looked to them and to the door.

              “I’m sorry, but it didn’t heal all the way.” He said as he examined the wound. It emanated a golden light that quickly faded away. “There isn’t enough time to continue.” He turned to his comrades. “Lovi, I need you to get him out of here. Elizabeta and I will take care of things.”

              “But—“

              “ _Vai!_ Go!” Feliciano spoke with an authority that Lovino wasn’t used to hearing. “The ankh stopped any internal damage and bleeding. It’s just a flesh wound now. Take him somewhere safe and tend to it.”

              “Fine.” Lovino said as he helped Antonio back up. “Be careful, okay? And take back that damned room for us. And for our folks.”

              “Of course.”

 

The two made sure that they were far away before they readied themselves for what was behind the door.

              This time, they were prepared.

The door was opened.

              The gunshot came again, but they dodged it by a hair. The assassin opened one of the doors further while his partner cut the wire that it hit.

              They were in. However, there were several guns pointed at them.

              “That glow from earlier. I’d recognize it anywhere. One of you has it, huh?” A voice called out from behind the eight Templars surrounding them. “I’m glad. This saves me a lot of trouble, then.” It was the Grandmaster.

              The assassins looked around as they placed themselves in formation, ready to strike. The Grandmaster’s people kept their guns trained on them. By the way they were dressed, they seemed to be of high rank. It looks like their siege had interrupted a meeting.

              All of a sudden, there was a loud crashing sound. It shook the building and threw everyone off. This time, it wasn’t a firework.

              “What was that?!” The female assassin asked. They quickly pulled their guns further up.

              “It was a bomb.” The assassin said, struggling to keep his mind together. He knew the sound of a bomb all too well. It shook him to the core, but he did his best to maintain and keep the awful memories at bay. _‘Not here, not now, this moment is too important,’_ he told himself as he bit the inside of his cheek. _‘Focus!_ ’

              At that second, they realized _where_ the bomb had gone off. It was in the courtyard where most everyone was fighting. They looked to where the Grandmaster was. “Don’t look at me like that, I wasn’t the one who activated a bomb on my own comrades.” He said with a smile. “I didn’t even have to get up from my seat. You assassins are just doing _all_ of my work for me tonight, aren’t you?” He chuckled again as he emerged to be at the center of his comrades.

              The assassins looked at them incredulously.

              “Do I need to spell it out for you children? The trip wire wasn’t for you, it was for the courtyard.” The man said a bit disappointedly. “Now, which one of you has it?”

              The assassins maintained their cold gazes at their enemies, waiting for an opening. Neither of them answered the Grandmaster’s question.

              “The explosion will bring in the police. I have people on the outside that will tell them that you and your group are terrorists that set off the bomb. The island should be surrounded by authorities at any moment, so it seems we’re at a checkmate.” He pulled the safety lock on his pistol. “Now tell me, which one of you has the Key of Life?”

              A gunshot. He fired at them, but they dodged quickly. The bullet almost grazed the assassin’s ear and the velocity of the bullet had knocked his hood from his head. Before further action could be taken, the room was filled with smoke. The assassins donned their masks and began to count.

              A knife was thrown into the temple of one. She instantly fell to the ground, tripping a comrade along the way. He fell to the floor and felt something sharp stab him right in the spine. He was dead instantly.

              Another gunshot.

              This one actually got one of the assassins, though barely grazing him on the cheek. He instantly returned the favor with his blade.

              As this happened, two had found the female assassin and tried to take her down. She barely dodged a bullet, being grazed on the left shoulder. She dove to the floor and sliced one in the back of the ankles and kicked them down to run a blade through the other. However, the blade was parried and she could hear the swoops of a knife randomly stabbing and slicing in the smoke. One sliced at her arm, and she held back a yelp. It was only a flesh wound. She stepped back and went low again. Another knife was lodged into her attacker’s abdomen and they fell to the floor, writhing in pain and inhaling the smoke.

              There were two left.  The smoke began to dissipate. Another Templar swung at the assassin. He quickly parried with one of his blades. This one was also fast and packed quite a punch. She pushed him back with her bladework and it also didn’t help his case that she was fighting him with a stolen rapier.

              The second to last Templar was aiming his pistol to shoot the assassin, but was tackled by the female assassin. His finger was already on the trigger, so he shot the chandelier in the room as he was knocked to the floor. The room went dim. The smoke was almost gone and the masks were off.

              “Don’t. You. DARE!” The female assassin had the man pinned to the floor and she roared between punches. She was beating him to a pulp. He reached for his gun that was close enough to grab.  She saw this and sliced his wrist, making him instantly drop it. The blade on her other wrist was now directed to his throat, but was stopped with his other free hand. She tried to stab him with the blade in her other hand, but was stopped with a firm grip. However, since his arm was already weakened from her slice earlier, she just had to push a little further and he let go. She was about to stab him, but he pushed her off and quickly grabbed his gun from the floor. He began to shoot at her as she ran around to dodge the bullets.

              The smoke had dissipated.

              On the other side of the room, the assassin was gaining ground on the swordswoman. He had grabbed a fire iron from the side of the fireplace and had been using it to fend off her blows.

              She was quite skilled and he would have liked to see more of her sword work, but he was pressed for time and his fire iron was not the most ideal weapon. He leapt back and almost tripped on one of the fallen enemies. She used this opportunity to strike. Her sword would have stabbed him in the chest, had he not dodged it by rolling to the floor. He used this opportunity to slice her in the calf. She let out a yelp and swung at him again, only this time, falling to the ground from her debilitating wound.

              She tried to get back to a fighting stance, but the wound had cut somewhere that wouldn’t let her stand properly. Lunging at him again, she lost balance and fell to the floor.

              She got up to her knees and looked to the assassin who saw her state and had a knowing look in his eyes. She grinned at this and laid down her sword, panting. She pointed at her chest and he understood. She closed her eyes and allowed the assassin to run his blade through her heart. He caught her before she fell to the floor and let her down gently as she died with dignity.

              It was moments like these that made Feliciano remember how much he hated violence.

              The last Templar underling had finally run out of bullets. Elizabeta hid behind a desk and reached for her last throwing knife. She quickly stood up and hurled it, hitting him right in the chest. He dropped his empty gun and looked down at the knife. He grabbed it, but fell to the ground.

              Now all that was left was the Grandmaster. But where was he?

              “Yes, it’s him, Grandmaster. He fits your description. It’s Feliciano Vargas and he has the—“ He looked up from the phone he was speaking into. The two assassins gave him a puzzled look.

              “I thought _you_ were the Grandmaster.” The female assassin said as she took off her hood to reveal a face splattered with blood. She retracted her blades, grabbed the man, and examined him carefully. After a few seconds, she spoke with trepidation. “He’s a scapegoat.”

              “You figured it out. But you’ll never find him.” The fake Grandmaster said with a smirk. “It’s too late now, children.” He moved something inside his mouth and bit it. He convulsed in Elizabeta’s grip and his eyes rolled back as he tried mumbling something about “the Father of Understanding.” His body fell limp; he was dead.

              She dropped the corpse to the ground.

              The assassin also retracted his blades.

              The assassin picked up the phone and listened. It sounded like someone was still at the other end of the line, listening in on their realization. “So you’re the one behind all this?” He sounded surprisingly calm, but Elizabeta could see his free hand clenched into a fist so tight that it was shaking.

              “Well, if it isn’t the hero himself! I haven’t seen you since what? _Deutschland?_ You know, it wasn’t easy tracking you down all the way here, I’ll give you that. Say, how does it feel to be in the very place your parents died to protec—“

              “Shut up.” His words were spat like the venom of a snake. “I know what you’re after and I want to settle this. I have the Key of Life with me. If you want it, you’ll have to take it from me yourself.”

              “I’m afraid I can’t do that just yet, _Herr_ Vargas. How about we play a game first?”

              “And what makes you think—“

              “Look outside. You better start running, boy.”

              Before he could say anything, the phone line went dead.

              The two had an uneasy look on their faces as they walked to a window to see what had happened outside. Before they could process the aftermath of the explosion, they saw that the fake Grandmaster was right. The authorities were now approaching the island from each side.

 _Did the snipers know?_ Feliciano blinked his flashlight a couple of times. He waited a moment, but there was no response from the other side of the river. He hastily did the same to the other side of the island. _Was Roderich still there?_ Two blinks. No response. He looked to Elizabeta with a worried expression.

              She placed a hand on his shoulder. “There’s no time to worry about them. We need to get out of here and regroup.” He nodded and they looked around for the best exit.

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone wanna guess who the Grandmaster really is?


	18. Why Must You Always Go Where I Can't Follow?

Ludwig heard the explosion.

              His years of being in the military let him easily differentiate it from the fireworks in the distance. He had a gut feeling that Feliciano was somehow involved. His stomach felt uneasy just thinking about all the things that could have caused that explosion and most of all, who it could have affected.

              Ludwig wasn’t sure what he’d be able to do when he got there, but now he knew exactly where he needed to be.

              The streets, however, were swarming with people. It seemed like there was some kind of big celebration going on tonight. If he took to the streets, there’s no telling how long it would take for him to get there.

 _Which way would I go if I were Feliciano?_ He asked himself. He looked around and then up. The rooftops! It was Feliciano’s favorite way to move around the city and it seemed like the most efficient option at this point. He began to climb.

              Ludwig knew he was heading in the right direction because of the few scattered corpses he found on the rooftops. It certainly wasn’t his first time seeing dead people, but something about seeing lifeless bodies in a civilian area perturbed him. Who had killed them? Could it have been Feliciano? Some of his comrades? As Ludwig continued on, Feliciano’s words swam in his mind.

              ‘ _There’s a big difference between us... I chose to kill…_ ’ But then he remembered their moment in the dampened field: _‘_ _I hope you haven’t forgotten all the things you’ve done for a scaredy-cat like me, because I haven’t! …I guess this means we’re just a couple of softies, huh?_ ’ So sweet and innocent-looking with his chain of flowers.

              All the times he spoke about disliking violence. That time they talked about the war nestled by the fireplace. Ludwig saying that he did what he had to. ‘ _Didn’t we all…_ ’ He remembered Feliciano replying quietly to himself with an expression that seemed like he was holding the weight of the world. Then he recalled when he told him, _‘I chose to kill those who had wronged me._ ’

              He recalled their tender moments together in the abandoned house with Feliciano curled up against him, afraid of the roars of thunder outside. So vulnerable and frightened. He then remembered the fateful moment on the train. The look of horror in those amber eyes. Then he remembered what blur he saw of Feliciano fighting to save him. How terrifyingly swift and ruthless he was.

_“I thought you said you didn’t like violence.”_

_“I don’t… I really don’t. But I never said I wasn’t… skilled at it.”_

              ‘ _And you said you weren’t a soldier._ ’

_‘I wasn’t. I didn’t lie about that, Ludwig. I promise. I just… left some things out of my story.’_

              When they last talked, Ludwig remembered telling him he was still the Feliciano he knew and loved, but at this point, he couldn’t help but wonder: which parts were really him? How much more did he leave out of his story?

              Who really was Feliciano?

              These thoughts clouded his mind as he approached the island. The authorities were scattered around the mainland area and increased in number the further he went. He scanned the evacuating crowds for a familiar curl but to no avail. _Why do you keep going where I can’t find you?_

              The crowd was almost cleared out and an officer approached him.

              “ _Scusa, signo_ —“ The young woman stopped in her tracks as she made eye contact with Ludwig. “Captain Beilschmidt?!” The young woman’s eyes widened. The two began to speak in German. “What are you doing here? I haven’t seen you since…” She paused and saluted.

              “At ease, soldier. I’m not a captain anymore. I’ve retired.” She had fought alongside him in the German military during the war. He raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing as an officer in Rome, Kraus?”

              “…Work brought me here, sir. Anyway, as happy as I am to see you doing well, I must ask that you evacuate the premise.”

              Ludwig looked past the former soldier and saw an abnormally large amount of officers gathering towards the direction of Tiber Island. “What happened over there?”

              “We are still… investigating, sir. We were given an anonymous tip that a group of terrorists was attacking Tiber Island, so we are currently securing the premise. The explosion is most likely their doing, sir.”

              “Anything else? Like a name or a description of these people?”

              “They were all hooded, so we can’t really say. But our intel says that some infamous criminal is involved and may be leading this group. We are to find, capture, and detain him.”

              “’Him?’ So who would that be?”

              Officer Kraus leaned in closer and spoke in a hushed tone. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but do you remember the rumor about how it wasn’t really the military that ended the war? They say it was assassins, sir. Under the one called Vargas.”

              “You mean that man who assassinated a bunch of political figures?” Ludwig recalled the infamous man he had read about extensively out of curiosity and interest. That man’s deeds had him labeled as an infamous criminal, but nobody could argue that his actions affected a great amount of change in the world. “If I recall correctly, he should have died during the war.”

              “That one did. Whoever this one is, they’re leading this and somehow escaped Tiber Island after the explosion. We suspect it might be an associate or someone related taking up that name.”

              Vargas? Assassins turned terrorists? This all sounded unreal. Something about the circumstances plus the things Feliciano told him made him figure that there was much more to this situation. Perhaps this Vargas person was just after the ankh, which Feliciano was trying to protect. But what was so special about Tiber Island? As much as he would have liked more answers, he was still more concerned with finding Feliciano.

              “We’re tracking them down as we speak, so please keep an eye out, sir. My superiors want him captured alive for questioning.”

              With that, the two parted ways and Ludwig continued his search.

 

Not too long after, Ludwig found him.

              He heard gunfire around the corner from where he was and followed the yelling. Once he turned the corner to see the commotion, he bore witness to the scene before him.

              There were four of them surrounding a familiar hooded figure. They almost had the figure cornered. Immediately, Ludwig reached for his gun. The hooded figure didn’t seem to take notice of his presence yet. The people surrounding the figure weren’t officers, but they had guns pointed at him. The sight of this made Ludwig pull the safety lock on his pistol.

              Before Ludwig could choose his target, he caught a glimpse of the hooded figure speedily diving forward for an enemy and gripping the gun still in their hands. The person struggled, but their hold seemed too firm to break. Before the others could react, the figure kicked one of the others in the groin hard enough to disarm them and then sliced a concealed blade across their throat. The others went for him, but he was too quick.

              It was over in three…

              The one the hooded figure had in their grip tried to attack, but the figure elbowed him in the chin and flung him towards his teammates, bunching them up together. One fired and missed by a hair. Before Ludwig could fire, the figure fired the stolen gun. A shot in the chest.

              Two.

              The enemy that the hooded figure had elbowed regained himself and knocked them over. He was on the floor now, his hood fallen off to reveal his scratched face. There was no fear in Feliciano’s eyes, only a fierce, calculating look. The enemy was about to shoot. Ludwig fired.

              One.

              Feliciano was surprised at the save, but didn’t take the time to think about it. In one swift motion on the floor, he rolled to the side and evaded another bullet. He tackled the last enemy. Ludwig watched them wrestle until he was at Feliciano’s mercy, considering the blade at his neck.

              Feliciano backed the man to the wall and demanded something, his voice as cool and sharp as the blade he held to his throat. Ludwig wasn’t able to hear what he demanded. A faint sneer was on the captive’s face. He said something and quickly pulled out a blade, which Ludwig shot out of his hand. They both looked in Ludwig’s direction.

              “Ludwig?” A look of surprise was on Feliciano’s face. He looked back to his captive and without warning, knocked him unconscious. He laid him on the floor and approached Ludwig.

              “You uh… fight very well.” Ludwig couldn’t hold back how impressed he was. Now that he was able to properly see Feliciano hold his own against multiple enemies at once, it solidified quite a few things in his mind. Feliciano now stood in front of him, seemingly out of breath. The darkness of the night obscured his appearance, but Ludwig could tell that things weren’t going smoothly for him.

              He spoke breathily. “You actually escaped and found me! I’m not sure if I should be upset or impressed, Ludwig. I figured you’d do something like this.” Despite his ragged breathing, Ludwig could see an amused grin on his face. “Thank you for the save, by the way. You’re very skilled. I’m sure you’d be very impressive as an a—“

              Ludwig saw the scratch on his cheek up close and unconsciously reached for it, but a hand swiftly caught his wrist midway. This caught both of them by surprise. Feliciano’s smile fell as he let go. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to— More importantly, what happened, Feliciano?”

              “There’s no time to explain. We need to get to the nearest—“ He stopped mid-sentence and his brows furrowed. Feliciano must have heard something in the commotion of the city’s streets, for he placed a hand on Ludwig’s arm and looked around cautiously. “They’re coming,” he said sharply. His indigo hood was swept back on.

              “Who’s co—“ The hand that was on his arm raised to keep him silent. He looked him in the eye as he put a finger to his lips and pointed to the direction he wanted to go. Ludwig nodded and complied. 

 

As Ludwig silently followed, he realized a few things.

              As soon as Feliciano’s smile fell at the piazza, he felt a change. This person had the same face and curl in his hair Ludwig would know anywhere, yet he felt different. The outfit he was wearing was the same as earlier, but it now had more leather belts with pouches to hold what he assumed would be weapons. The glimpses of him in the moonlight revealed how much blood he was covered in, whoever’s blood it may be. From the look of it, he had been fighting for a while now. Everything about him screamed ‘danger,’ and the longer Ludwig followed, the more he had to convince himself that this person wasn’t a threat.

              After a while of running through and above the city, Feliciano stopped. They found their feet on the cobblestone of a town square. Ludwig examined their surroundings and determined that they were at _Piazza dei Coronari_. The two were out of breath, so they took a moment. Feliciano sat against a wall, pulled off his hood, and took a canteen out from his bag. He drank from it and offered it to Ludwig.

              “ _Danke_.” He said quietly as he accepted the canteen and drank from it. Another moment passed before Ludwig decided to speak. “So what happened on the island?”

              “It was a trap.” His voice was cold as he spoke. His mind was racing, Ludwig knew the look on his face. “Now the police are involved and it’s a huge mess. We’ve separated to throw them off, but we’re being hunted down and it’s all on me again!” He exhaled sharply and removed one of the leather straps from his torso and tossed it on the ground, still panting. “ _Quel bastardo sadico!!!”_ He kicked it and continued to curse under his breath in Italian.

              ‘ _Again?’ What did he mean by that?_ “…I’m sorry,” was all Ludwig could think to say after he grew silent. He carefully came closer and sat next to him.

              Feliciano sighed. “Please, I don’t want to think about it for a moment. Can we talk about something else for now?” His voice was sharper than usual, he sounded almost as if he were about to break.

              “Of course.” Ludwig said as he handed back the canteen. Feliciano took it with shaking hands.

              “I’ve been meaning to ask you this, but… You said you were a captain in the German military, right?” He spoke, but his expression was still strained. He pulled his hood over his head. Ludwig noticed a hole in it. It seemed like it was from a bullet.

He paled at the thought of what story could be behind that bullet hole. “…Y-yes.” He almost forgot to reply.

              “Captain what? Sorry, I never asked about your surname.” He drank more of the water.

              “Beilschmidt. During the war, Captain Ludwig Beilschmidt.”

              Feliciano stopped drinking. “…Oh.” An off-putting silence followed. Ludwig couldn’t see his expression under the hood. Instead, he stared at the bullet hole, worrying, and most of all, wondering what he was thinking.

              “…And yours is Auditore, right?” He finally added.

              Feliciano took a moment and looked to him. “What?” He took a second to consider what Ludwig had said. “No, my name isn’t Auditore. We married into the Auditore _famiglia_ and inherited the tunnels. My surname is—“

              “VARGAS, WE KNOW YOU’RE AROUND HERE! COME OUT AND SURRENDER!” The two perked up and looked around. The voice came from some kind of sound amplifying machine in the distance.

              Feliciano nudged Ludwig and whispered, “He’s close.” In a heartbeat, he silently stood up and beckoned Ludwig to follow suit. Without warning, he darted off and Ludwig followed.

              “Who’s close? Where are we—“

              “The tunnels. The nearest entrance to them is at _Castel Sant’Angelo_. If we can get across the bridge and into the building, we should be safe.”

              Who was close? Was it Vargas? How many of them were there? If there were to be a confrontation, could they take them on?

              As if sensing his anxiety, Feliciano quickly said, “Just stay close and follow my lead. It’ll be okay.”

              “Okay.” He nodded, though he could sense the uncertainty.

 

The two made their way down _Via di Panico_ , an ironically fitting name for their situation.

              In the midst of their flight, Ludwig was trying to sort out what exactly was happening:

              -Feliciano’s mission seemingly failed and now he is being chased for the ankh he has in his possession.

              -His comrades are scattered because they are being chased by Vargas(?) and their group of terrorists. From what he overheard a while ago, they may be called Templars.

              -Also, the police are involved and probably chasing down the terrorists.

              -If that were the case, why couldn’t he just lay low and let the police take care of Vargas?

              Unless…

              He stared at the bullet hole in Feliciano’s hood. That was undoubtedly a bullet hole from a very recent fight.

              He remembered the words of his former subordinate and how the ones who bombed the island were wearing hoods to cover their identities. He remembered Feliciano’s words, _‘I chose to kill those who wronged me’_ Ludwig’s breath hitched and he felt a chill run through his entire being.

              “Feliciano, what’s your surname?”

              He grew visibly tenser. “Not now, Ludwig.” His eyes anxiously darted everywhere. His musical, lilting voice had changed. His words were delivered like slashes of a knife. Swift, certain, and definitely calculated just like each of his actions. This was the very different side of Feliciano that he never thought existed.

              Unless he had been blind to it all along…

              Some part of him knew he was about to find out if that was so.

 

 

There was a feeling of anticipation as they caught sight of the bridge.

              _Castel Sant’Angelo_ was a formidable and rounded building, looming tall with age and mystery. All that stood between them and the safety of the castle was a great bridge that stood over the Tiber River. The great stone statues of saints and angels lining the bridge’s parapets served as their ancient audience, seemingly waiting all these years to bear witness to this crucial moment. Once they crossed the bridge, they would be safe. Things wouldn’t be the same, but Ludwig felt that they would eventually be okay.  He would find out what was really going on with Feliciano. He would learn the truth.

              But that would have to wait, for a knife swiftly flew at him. Thankfully, it was deflected by Feliciano’s blade.

              “Are you armed?” He looked around for the perpetrator. “What do you have on you?”

              “Five—“ Ludwig looked around and saw someone on the rooftops, pulling something out. Before they could find out what it was, he pulled out his revolver and shot them in the shoulder. “Four bullets.”

              At this, Feliciano whistled. He sized him up for a second and handed him a knife from one of his belts. It was simple, but he could tell it was finely crafted. “This is one of my last few. It’s supposed to be for throwing, but it should be able to hold its own in close range if you need.”

              “Thank you.”

              “Whatever you do, stay close, okay?” He said as he picked up the knife from earlier and led him to the nearest building towards their assailant. Just as expected, he began to climb. Ludwig stayed on the ground with his pistol readied, covering Feliciano as he reached the balcony that held their enemy.

              Ludwig was caught by surprise, for he heard a startled grunt from above. Feliciano had climbed up there faster than he had anticipated. From what he could see, Feliciano stood over the man and had grabbed him by the collar.

              “Where is he? Where’s the Grandmaster?” His voice sliced the air. The man in his custody hitched his breath, but composed himself despite his labored breathing. He was losing a lot of blood.

              The man beneath Feliciano chuckled and swiftly pulled something out from his pocket and shot up. He dodged it, but it wasn’t aimed at him.

              Red sparks flew into the night sky. A look of horror was on their illuminated faces. “ _Merda!_ ” Feliciano froze as he was startled by the signal flare. In a fit of anger, he went for the man’s throat, but stopped midway as he realized that the body went limp, dead in his grasp. “ _Cazzo!_ ” He said sharply as he dropped the body to the ground.

              “Is that what I think it was…?” Ludwig cautiously asked from below. The look on Feliciano’s face was an answer enough.

              “We have to make a run for it! Now!” He leapt from the balcony to a ledge on the building and jumped down from there. His hood was back on.

              The two ran down the narrow cobblestone street. As the sound of sirens grew louder, their hearts raced faster.

              The thought of that bullet hole in Feliciano’s hood continued to bother him.

 

_We’re late, darling, we’re late_

_The curtain descends; everything ends too soon, too soon_

 

 

Feliciano and Ludwig reached the bank of _Il Ponte Sant’Angelo_.

              The two statues flanking the bridge stood tall and imposing. A solemn look was on their saintly faces. On the left, Saint Peter with the inscription, “HINC HVMILIBVS VENIA” meaning “Here forgiveness to the humble.” On the right, Saint Paul with the inscription, “HINC RETRIBVTIO SVPERBIS” meaning "Here punishment for the prideful." 

              The parapets and life-sized angels decorating either side of them stood large and looming. The two fled down the bridge, each step drawing them closer to safety, to freedom, to the truth. The sky had begun to lighten with the coming of dawn. In the distance, they could hear them get closer, yelling out that name, ‘Vargas’ over and over again.

              “Feliciano, who is this Vargas person we keep hearing about?” He asked as they ran. Feliciano looked behind them. The hood blocked Ludwig’s view of his face. Suddenly, Feliciano came to a halt and removed his hood. Ludwig stopped as well and they stood beside the third angel on the parapets. It shadowed over them with a crown of thorns in its hands and had a weary expression facing the same way towards their pursuers. Inscribed below it, ‘ _The thorn is fastened upon me_.’

              The two faced the way they came from.

              In the light of the dawn, guns were drawn.

              There were too many of them to fend off. They could continue to run down the bridge, but they would get shot immediately. What were they going to do?

              Feliciano turned around and Ludwig almost turned to follow, but a hand was placed on his shoulder to stop him.

              Looking him in the eyes, he spoke the two most chilling words Ludwig would ever hear.

              “ _I’m_ Vargas.”

              Before he could even think about what to say, Feliciano had kicked the back of his legs so that he was made to kneel on the floor. Something was slipped around his wrists to keep them behind his back. It felt like a belt.

              _Shock_.

_Was this really happening?_

              The sound of a shift and click was heard and the next thing he knew, a blade sat in front of his neck. He could feel the sharp metal on the cusp of splitting into his flesh. He tried to look back, but the blade was pressed further to his neck, forcing him to face forward again.

              The cars before them were stopped at the entrance of the bridge. There were police and a few others pointing guns at them. At that moment, Ludwig realized the police before him weren’t real officers. A familiar voice spoke over the people surrounding them.

              “Well, if it isn’t _the_ infamous Feliciano Vargas himself! The hero who ended the war, wasn’t it? It must be humbling for someone as elusive as you to be trapped like this, huh?” The voice was loud and spoke boastfully, mockingly. He couldn’t fathom why it sounded so familiar.

              But more importantly, Feliciano _Vargas_. The surname was only a rumor. A legend, almost; a name shrouded in mystery. From what the familiar voice was saying, the rumors were true and his subordinate from earlier was right. But to think that Vargas, that this person he had spent his days with, was the one to deliver the killing blow that ended the war!

              “You have something I want, _Herr Vargas_.” The familiar voice spoke with a German accent. The gunmen approached them wordlessly, but Vargas snapped at them.

              “Not another step.” He said as he pressed the blade to press against Ludwig’s throat. He looked beyond them and yelled, “Come out and face me. I have something you’d also be interested in, _Signor Beilschmidt_.”

              Ludwig was confused as to why his own surname was used until he saw his brother emerge from the crowd. It had been years since he had seen him, but his silver hair and red eyes were unmistakable. The brothers locked eyes and exchanged looks of surprise.

              “Hello, Gilbert.” Vargas said coolly. “It seems I was right.”

              “Ludwig…?!” Gilbert’s voice was soft for a second until he switched back to his boisterous voice and looked to his brother’s captor. “You have some balls using my brother as a bargaining chip, ‘ _Master Assassin._ ’ I’ll give you that as well!”

              Ludwig was at a loss for words, thoughts, everything, really. The more they spoke, the more truths he heard. _‘Master Assassin,’ ‘Vargas…’_

              “Don’t tell me you’re going to hurt someone that has nothing to do with all of this.”

              “That’s really up to _you_ now, isn’t it?”

              Not to mention, the more they spoke, the more it _hurt_. Had he been lying all this time? Everything they did, everything they shared, was it all a lie? Was any of it even real?

              At least some of it should have been real, his heart told him. What was happening didn’t make any sense. But the blade at his throat and the belt restraining his hands were thoroughly convincing him otherwise.

              “It’s funny how you’ve _actually_ resorted to terrorism now.” Gilbert mused as he drew closer. Despite his silver hair, he appeared to be in his late twenties. His red eyes gleamed in the light of the rising sun. He wore a black double-breasted overcoat with dark red trim and a white cravat, black suit pants, and black boots that reached the bottom of his knees. A golden rope lay across his chest starting at his right and ended in two golden tassels on the left of his chest. Next to them was a red cross with a white border. He walked with an air about him that emitted authority. It only took a second to put two and two together.

              Gilbert was the person that Vargas and the assassins had been after.

              As the two spoke, Ludwig began to wonder: Was this really who he was? The side of himself that he had been hiding all along? Did everything they shared mean nothing? Was he tricked into being nothing but a ‘bargaining chip’ in the end?

              His heart sank at these notions. He felt numb, _betrayed._

              “Let me walk away and you can have him. That’s all I want.”

              “And that’s where we clash, Master Assassin. You see, there’s no way in hell I’m leaving without the ankh.”

              “Do you really think I’d be dumb enough to have it on me?” He could hear the ice in his voice that had been so warm only hours ago.

              “Clever boy,” Gilbert smirked as he slowly approached them. He stopped a few meters away and stood with ease. “So now, what’s keeping me from having my men shoot you on the spot and returning my brother to me safely?”

              “Only I know where it is.”

              “Is that so? You couldn’t trust the others with it, then?”

              No response.

              A gray eyebrow rose. “You know, the more you talk, the more I see how similar we are. We’d definitely work well together. What do you say?” A grin was flashed the assassin’s way, but Ludwig could tell that he did not waver.

              “I have no business with a traitor like you.”

              A bellowing laugh came from Gilbert. “Me? You’re the one to talk! What with you disappearing for years only to be found consorting with the enemy?” He indicated Ludwig and then himself. “You’re not even able to trust your own people with such an important item, so I guess it takes one to know one. We seem to have a lot in common already: Master Assassin and Grandmaster, we’re really just two sides of the same coin.” He chuckled a bit and his smile suddenly dropped as Vargas pressed the blade further. It stung. “Enough small talk, then. Tell me where it is and I’ll let you leave.”

              “How do I know you’ll keep your word?”

              With that, Gilbert Beilschmidt turned around to face his subordinates. “Guns down, all of you! He’s useless to us dead.” At his brash command, his people reluctantly lowered their weapons. He turned back to him. “Also, return Ludwig safely and I’ll make sure you leave in one piece.” Gilbert looked to Ludwig once more. “Did he hurt you at all, Ludwig?”

              That question unleashed a wave of emotion that retained Ludwig’s silence. His head swam as he remembered all that he and Feliciano, no, _the assassin_ had been through. _Did he ‘hurt’ me?! He used me! Betrayed me! Of course he—_

              “You can see for yourself that he’s unharmed, but that can change quickly.”

              “You have my word,” said Gilbert. Ludwig could tell that he was maintaining his composure, careful to keep his back to his people so they couldn’t see how he really felt.

              The assassin exhaled from behind Ludwig and retracted the blade. He stepped back a bit. “Get up,” he said. Ludwig was helped up and the belt restraining his hands was dropped to the ground. He was nudged to walk forward to his brother, so he did. Ludwig felt a drop of blood trickle down his neck. The rest of him felt numb. As he walked towards his brother, he heard the sound of quick footsteps. He turned around to see the assassin standing on the parapet.

              The assassin placed a hand on the plinth of the angel statue for support and looked up at it. It seemed like it was ready to place the crown of thorns upon his head. “ _Al Foro Romano_. It’s hidden at the Forum.” He looked back to them; his gaze was cold and cautious like a cornered predator. Ludwig looked into those amber eyes, searching for answers. “You’ll find it underneath—”

              Suddenly, an arrow was shot through the neck of a subordinate next to Gilbert. Everyone was now on alert.

              “He set us up!” Someone yelled.

              A deafening gunshot.

              Ludwig watched the small blot of dark red on the left of the assassin’s chest grow larger by the second. The assassin grabbed onto the angel’s plinth with both hands now to keep balance. His breathing was erratic. His eyes were wide with shock as he began to painfully cough up blood. Ludwig felt himself automatically move towards him.

              “WHO THE HELL FIRED AT HIM?!” Gilbert roared. Another Templar was shot down by an arrow. Ludwig and Gilbert were now surrounded by subordinates trying to protect them as others attempted to find the sniper. Despite this, Ludwig still kept his eyes on the assassin, his expression twisted in horror as his legs carried him forward. A hand took his arm, but he shrugged it off.

              The assassin had paled. He looked down and shakily held a hand to the crimson spot on his chest that kept getting bigger and darker as he struggled. That hand Ludwig loved to hold was now covered in blood. The other hand that he had once kissed was now sliding off the white marble. Those amber eyes that once loved him, now glazed over.

              “No,” he said. “NO!” Ludwig cried as he rushed towards him. He willed with every inch of his being to save him, to keep him safe in his arms once more, keep him from disappearing again.

_Please!_

              He was, however, too late.

              The assassin… no, _Feliciano_ , fell into the river. Ludwig cried out to him. The early morning light blinded him, but he continued anyway.  He would have jumped after him, were it not for three men, including his brother, holding him back and pulling him off the parapet. He was hell-bent on getting to Feliciano. In his frenzy, he managed to knock one of them out cold with a broken nose, he would later find out.

              Still, it wasn’t enough to get to Feliciano.

              _Why must you always go where I can’t follow?_

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly."
> 
> -F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
> 
> * * * * *
> 
> I know I probably broke your heart just now, but if anyone is curious, the places mentioned are real. 
> 
> Ponte/Castel Sant'Angelo  
> http://www.italianways.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ponte-santangelo1.jpg  
> ~  
> The balcony in Via di Panico  
> https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9003144,12.4676638,3a,75y,42.68h,120.91t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1saP73PDF-Sq97l4HK0mNWQA!2e0!3e11!7i13312!8i6656  
> ~  
> The Angel with the crown of thorns  
> https://www.google.com/maps/@41.901792,12.4664893,3a,75y,263.49h,92.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sr5jPNJQo2PW19Gf5zQMaIw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656  
> ~  
> Also, here's a reference to Gilbert's outfit. Not sure who the OP is, though.  
> https://78.media.tumblr.com/44c8cac149664428d905111f1e140824/tumblr_mpitk8P9Go1qk5iylo2_1280.png


	19. The Truth

‘ _No_ ,’

              Was all Ludwig could think in the blur of events that followed. The mere thought of losing Feliciano greatly distressed him, but what he had just experienced was worse than anything he could have ever imagined. In a matter of moments, he had lost Feliciano in almost every way. First he had betrayed him, and now he was gone.

              The gunfire continued. Yelling. Death surrounding him. Still, Ludwig couldn’t help but stare at the parapet where his lover had stood by the angel a mere moment ago. He felt himself being tugged on, but was too numb to fight whoever pulled on him.

              They took him.

              They brought him somewhere with high walls. Where? It didn’t matter.

              What did anything matter at this point?

              Ludwig was escorted into an elegant room. Red crosses like the one on his brother’s coat surrounded him. He numbly sat there.

              All he could think: _Feliciano. Feliciano. Feliciano._

 

* * * * *

 

An eternity passed.

              The clock in the room ticked. It was all that filled the deafening silence till he was finally coherent enough to register the tears falling, warm and bitter.

              Falling.

              _Falling._

              Knocking. A few knocks came at the door after another eternity passed.

              “Ludwig?” A familiar voice called out from the other side of the door. His face stung from all the tears he had shed. He probably looked like a mess, but he felt too hollow to care. A blank stare at the door. A few more knocks came. “I’m coming in.” The door slowly opened. In walked his older brother, Gilbert.

              Gilbert closed and locked the door in a demeanor softer than expected. Their eyes met and instead of a haughty grin was a somber look on his face. “ _Bruder…_ ” He spoke in a more natural volume now, all the bravado whittled away. There was a knowing look in his eyes. They asked Ludwig permission to sit on the couch across from the one he sat upon. Ludwig nodded slightly and Gilbert walked over to sit down. Looking him in his tired eyes, he said, “We need to talk about what happened. Is that okay?” He spoke in German. This was a different Gilbert now. _This_ was the real Gilbert Beilschmidt. After all these years, his brother had finally returned to him.

              “Is he…” Ludwig’s voice sounded broken and dry.

              “My people couldn’t find a b— find him… or the artifact. They searched up and down the river when it was safe. We don’t know if the assassins found him or if he escaped.”

              “He was shot… in the chest... There’s no way he could have survived that…”

              “I know. I saw it happen too.” The two brothers had seen enough bloodshed to know that much, at least. “The one responsible was… taken care of.” He looked off to the side for a moment and sighed. “Ludwig, I didn’t mean to let it get this far, I was going to—“

              “I love him, you know?” His voice cracked. ‘ _Verliebt_ ’ was the word he had used. It let Gilbert know exactly who the assassin was to him. He could feel his eyes trying to produce more tears, but he was already dried out. “He betrayed me, but I still…” Ludwig looked down and placed a hand to the bandages on his throat. The wound was the only thing he had left of him, a sullen reminder of that moment.

              A sympathetic look was in his brother’s crimson eyes. “So that’s how it is, huh?” He looked off to the side wistfully as if he were recalling something bittersweet. Looking back to him, he spoke again. “I knew him, you know. He really was the hero who ended the war. I was even there when it happened. In fact, I fought with him.”

              Silence followed. 

              “By that, I mean as an ally.” This got Ludwig’s attention. “I know it’s strange to say for a man who is a Grandmaster of the Templar Order, once fighting as an ally of my sworn enemy.”

              The room remained silent, except for the clock that continued to tick. Gilbert stared at the tray of untouched food for a moment and looked back at him. “Have you remembered anything from your childhood? A mansion in Austria, perhaps?”

              “What about it?”

              “Ah, so you remember at least a little bit now?” A smile peeked at the corner of his lips. “Tell me, what do you remember?” Those words he had spoken brought Ludwig back to the hospital years ago, when Gilbert would visit him every day and ask the same thing.

              “ _Him_.” It was still too painful to say his name. “He lived at the mansion too, said it was an orphanage.” Ludwig saw Gilbert frown as he looked to the floor.

              “Of course he was there.” A faint smile was on his face as he looked back to him. “But that wasn’t an actual orphanage, Ludwig. It looks like he was trying to protect you from it too.”

              “From what?”

              “The Assassin Brotherhood, our heritage... and family curse.”

              “What are you talking about?” Ludwig wasn’t sure if he heard correctly.

              “In a way, I’m glad you forgot about these things. It was easier that you did. I’m sorry for disappearing and never telling you anything, Ludwig. But now I’ll tell you the truth. I owe you that much, at least. The Beilschmidt family is like the Vargas family. We’re also from a long line of assassins, Ludwig.” Gilbert sighed and leaned back in the couch. “After our folks passed on during the war, I sent you to Austria so you could train to become an assassin.

              “ _Me?_ An _assassin?_ “How did you…? How did _we_ end up like this, then?”

              Gilbert sat forward. “We were both trained to be spies. But as fate would have it, you were injured so badly on the battlefield, that you lost your memories. I was so upset when I found out one of our own wounded you to that point. I was ready to take you with me and just leave the Brotherhood.” His left hand was in a tight fist now, his voice showed more vulnerability as he spoke.” We were just kids, you know? We wanted to be heroes, avenge our families and save the world. But we were _just_ _kids_. Now we both know that’s not how the world works.” The fist loosened and he had a somber look on his face. “I realized that everyone involved in the war was either like us or the cause of all this suffering, so I had to do something about it. It had to end somehow. I was already behind enemy lines, so I decided to play along and work up the ranks. Prove I was loyal and catch the interest of the Templars. Become one of them so that the Brotherhood would have a man on the inside. Maybe then I’d be able to find a common goal and slowly get both sides to someday work together and end this recondite war for good.”

              Ludwig’s eyebrows were pressed together as he listened. He was skeptical.

              “The rumors of the assassin who struck the killing blow that ended the war, who do you think could have spread them if every Templar in that mansion died that night?” Ludwig thought for a second and looked back to his brother. Gilbert nodded, indicating that his guess was right.

              “The chase was for show, to keep appearances. Everything was, but I couldn’t let anyone on either side know. I really meant to let him go, Ludwig. But then you showed up with him and…”  He sighed and took a moment to compose himself. “What happened on the bridge earlier… that could have been even worse. He knew I was coming. If he hadn’t taken you hostage like he did, you could have easily been shot down with him.” Gilbert made sure he looked him in the eye before he spoke again. “Ludwig, he _knew_.”

              The words Gilbert spoke struck something within Ludwig. He could only imagine how quickly Feliciano had figured out the situation when he revealed his surname at _Piazza dei Coronari_ , how quickly Ludwig’s presence in the situation had changed everything. That was the missing piece in all this confusion and hurt. Feliciano _would_ do that. He even said so himself not too long ago, ‘I’d rather die than put you in danger again!’ The thought of him actually doing so seemed inconceivable and yet…

              Something changed in Gilbert’s face as he looked to Ludwig while he thought about what had been said.  “Ludwig, I really didn’t mean to let this happen. I know ‘sorry’ isn’t enough, but I really am sorry. You know, I also—“ he cut himself off mid-sentence, as if he was about to say something that he would regret. He let out a deep sigh and stood up. He carefully sat on the couch next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “If there’s anything I could do for you, just let me or one of my people know.” He looked to the clock and stood up. “I have to go now. I’ll check in with you later.”

              With that, Gilbert was gone.

              ‘ _Anything_ ,’ he said?

              They could never give him what he really wanted. There was nothing any of them could do to make up for what had been stolen from him in a matter of moments. That beautiful smile which he adored so much, twisted into a scowl and finally to shock as he was shot. That melodic voice, smooth as caramel and warm like sunlight, turned sharp and cold like the edge of the blade that was held to his throat. Those delicate, gentle hands that held his own so lovingly, turned into instruments of death and stained with blood at his end. A bitter end that he did not deserve.

              The love of his life was gone just like that.

              And what for?

              All this deception, all this violence seemed so daunting. It was an endless cycle that used people’s lives like fodder. It had already taken so much from him. Too much, now.

              Now it made sense why Feliciano kept things from him, why he was so insistent on keeping him from the secret, no, the truth of his life.

              All this power play, deception, and death wasn’t noble or right. It was all just needless sacrifice. And for what? A certain ideology? For objects that weren’t even meant to be used by humans anyway?

              He was disgusted.

 

* * * * *

 

Ludwig opened his tired eyes and darted up.

              “Feliciano, hold on! I’ve got—you…” He spoke to nothing, to no one. _Don’t leave again…_ He sank. _Please…_ There was a stifling ache and longing for a presence he couldn’t have, no matter how much he wished for it. Even in dreams, he could not follow.

              He wouldn’t just accept it. He had to know.

              His desire to know drove him forward. It put him on his feet and gave him the food and water his body so desperately craved.

              Then he began to walk.

              Past the guards, past the gates, past all of it.

              He would find him, or at least whatever was left of him.

              Ludwig wasn’t sure where the Templars had taken him, but he knew he was still near Rome. He took one of their cars and drove with determination in his eyes. He would find his way back to that bridge.

              This time he would follow, even if it was for the last time.

 

* * * * *

 

It took a while, but Ludwig found his way back to the bridge.

              It was dusk now. The sky was a similar orange to when he had last been there. To when he had last seen Feliciano. He parked the car and rushed to the bank of the bridge of saints and angels.

              He could almost see Feliciano and himself running towards it as they did a matter of hours ago. It was amazing how much could change in a matter of hours. He thought about musing the thought to Feliciano later, but he remembered the situation and it stung. He touched the bandages on his neck once more.

              He wouldn’t let the grief sink in just yet. Not until he could confirm things for himself.

              Then he saw it. A hooded figure stood at the bridge by the very same angel Feliciano fell at. Ludwig began to walk cautiously towards the figure, as if he were trying not to scare it away. Their image was obscured by the light of the sun shining directly at them. He raised up a hand to the level of his eyes to see the figure better. He was close enough to be noticed now.

              The figure turned to him.

              A familiar curl.

              A familiar face.

              “Oh, it’s you.” The figure said as he removed the hood. His voice sounded tired. They made eye contact. Tired amber eyes. But they glinted green and the curl was facing a different side than he was used to seeing. It was Lovino. It seemed like he had been crying as well. “I wasn’t who you expected, was I?” He asked bitterly.

              Ludwig looked down and then to the angel where he last saw Feliciano. Lovino made way for him. He walked over to the parapet and saw the traces of blood on the marble. A rush of memory and emotion overtook him as he stopped breathing for a second. He slowly placed a hand on his bandages again. They were still real. All of this was still real.

              Lovino spoke, “We tried to save him, you know. The one who shot him, I made sure he was dead myself.” Only you, that traitor, and a handful of his people got away.” Ludwig didn’t turn from his spot. He just stared at the traces of blood and the water below.

              “We searched every inch of this damned river all day, so where the hell is my brother?!” He asked, with a rising tone. “Did your people take him?” He sounded as if he were about to erupt with anger. Ludwig heard him shift. Probably in position to attack if need be, but Ludwig remained calm and stayed where he was.

              He slowly turned to him. “I’m not a Templar. They couldn’t find him either… Feli—“ the mention of his name stung, “ _He_ barely told me anything about all of this. Back then I… thought he betrayed me. I had no idea that my brother was their leader until then.”

              Lovino remained in his stance as he examined him with hardened eyes. He was searching for any dishonesty, no doubt. A moment later, his expression softened. “But _he_ knew, didn’t he…?” Lovino smoothly lowered his stance and retracted his blade.

              “He knew.”

              Lovino stood there for a moment, his eyes calculating just as his brother’s did. “So he did it to protect you.” His shoulders slumped down and sighed. “Sounds just like something he’d do.” A pained expression was on his face. “I always told him his heart was too soft, that it’d be the end of him…” Lovino’s words began to shake. “The last of _mia famiglia_ in this world, and I can’t even find what’s left of him either.” He pulled the hood over his eyes and turned away. Ludwig turned his gaze away to let him have a moment.

              “I’m sorry…” was all he could say.

              Lovino turned back sharply and looked him eye to eye. “Don’t you _dare_ think he meant any of what he did here, not one bit.” He took a deep, staggered breath. “He really loved you, you know? He told me himself. He’s never loved anyone since that boy from—”

              “The boy was me.”  Ludwig said simply. He thought of their brief reunion after all those years apart and how he was gone once more. How cruel this world was to twist up and devour such a kind, beautiful person.

              “No kidding…” Lovino said as Ludwig caught him with a somewhat impressed look on his face. “That explains a lot…” He said pensively into the distance. He looked back to Ludwig. “What will you do now?” 

              Neither the Templars nor Assassins could find any trace of Feliciano Vargas, so where could he be?

              Ludwig contemplatively looked to the sky and then to the water below the bridge. “He promised to come back. I guess I’ll have to wait for him, then.” Ludwig said as if he were preoccupied with another thought. He took one more look at where he last saw Feliciano. He began to walk away, but he stopped for a second and turned around. “By the way…” He looked at his lover’s mirror image once more. “Gilbert is still on your side.”

              Ludwig walked away from the bridge, leaving Lovino to stand there in silence as he dealt with the information given. Perhaps he would help that information come to fruition later. He wasn’t sure if he had a role to play in this recondite war, but it didn’t matter. Not just yet. There was one more place he would go before he decided what to do.

 

* * * * *

 

Ludwig stood at the center of the Roman Forum.

              He remembered how Feliciano had mentioned it on the bridge. It seems like the Templars had been there, searching for wherever he may have hidden the precious ankh. A few of his brother’s subordinates were around and Ludwig approached them.

              “Good evening, _Herr_ Beilschmidt.” Saluted one of the three underlings. They seemed tired and dirty from possibly digging all day. “Still no progress on finding the artifact.”

              “We’re glad you’re safe now,” another one said.

              “Thank you,” Ludwig automatically spoke with his captain voice.  He looked around and thought for a second. “Did you or anyone else working here happen to find anything out of the ordinary?”

              “Not really, sir.” said the third underling.

              “Wait, how about the—“

              “No, that’s nothing! It’s not even significant!” The first one interrupted. Ludwig grew curious.

              “What did you find?”

              “Oh it’s probably nothing important, but there was a bag.”

              This caught Ludwig’s attention. “A bag? What kind?”

              “Just a brown leather backpack. It was hidden away by one of the monuments. It’s probably left behind by some dumb tourist.” The third one said.

              “May I see it?” Ludwig asked to their surprise.

              “Of course, sir.” Said the second one. She turned to the other two. “Get the backpack for him.” The two obeyed and briskly walked away to retrieve the bag. Ludwig waited with the underling under the darkening sky. The two returned with the bag and handed it to him.

              Ludwig held it with surprise in his eyes.

              It was Feliciano’s bag.

              “Thank you,” he said, trying to contain his excitement. “Was there anything in here when you found it?” A glimmer of hope took form in a beat-up leather backpack.

              “Nothing of importance, sir.  Just junk, nothing of value.” The first one said.

              “I’ll keep it, then.” The three looked at him like he had gone mad.

              “Sir, we can find you another…” One of them politely interjected. “I’m sure Grandmaster Beilschmidt would—“

              “It’s fine.” He waved in dismissal. “Thank you.”  He walked off without another word, leaving the three to wonder.

              Ludwig sat in the car he took and opened Feliciano’s bag.

              The contents of the hidden bag may have seemed unimportant to his brother’s underlings, but every little thing in this bag meant the world to Ludwig.

              Inside the leather bag laid some loose change, a shriveled up flower chain, a pocket knife, and a wooden box that was haphazardly wrapped in strips of cloth. It was _the_ box. The very box that Feliciano kept the ankh inside, in fact.

              But the underlings didn’t find this box important because it was _empty_.

              _Which could only mean…_

              Tears ran down Ludwig’s cheeks. He sat back in the car seat and let out a deep sigh. He looked up to the sky that gleamed with stars. None of the stars shone particularly bright that night, and for the first time in his life, he was glad that they didn’t.

 

_I wait, darling, I wait…_

 

* * * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we are finally at the truth, friends. 
> 
> Now let's get to that damn epilogue.
> 
> * * * * *
> 
> For any of my fellow Assassin's Creed nerds out there, part of Gilbert's story is based on some of Haytham Kenway's diary. Yeah Haytham was an asshole in AC3, but after reading the novelization of his plight, it's really heartbreaking to see that Haytham was painfully aware of his situation. He really wanted and tried to use his position as a grandmaster and his family connection to the assassin order to find a middle ground for the two sides.  
> Basically, Gilbert is trying to pick up where he left off.


	20. Hyacinth

News of the “terrorist bombing” had spread like wildfire.

              What was officially reported was some obscured version of what had really happened. But Ludwig knew the truth behind it, behind all of it. Gilbert used whatever influence he had to keep Feliciano’s name out of the spotlight, but they couldn’t keep the name ‘Vargas’ out of it. To his surprise, however, the locals of Rome did not react negatively at any mention of the infamous family name. If one was lucky enough, one would hear the Romans whisper of the hooded vigilantes that delivered justice when the authorities couldn’t.

              Still, he kept his ears open for a certain vigilante.

              Gilbert insisted that Ludwig stay with him, but Ludwig insisted on living in the countryside of Rome. He particularly insisted on a small white brick house with a blue door that had weeds running wildly on and around it. It was safer for someone who knew too much, he said.

              Ludwig spent his days in the city itself, getting to know each alleyway and piazza, hoping he would run into a certain someone. He would go up and down the Tiber River and end his day at the bridge of marble angels and saints.

              Sometimes he would see a certain young man that looked like his certain someone. Sometimes a cheerful Spanish man would accompany him, sometimes a kind Hungarian woman or her reserved, but also kind Austrian husband. They would talk. For hours or mere seconds, sometimes.

              Ludwig still kept in contact with and visited his own brother. Gilbert would send him off with letters to the Hungarian woman and to the young man he met with on the bridge. Back and forth, they would send replies after replies.

              Ludwig didn’t really care to find out what information was being exchanged between them, but he helped them because he was the only one who could, as a relative of a Templar Grandmaster and someone with a familial connection to the Assassin Brotherhood. Instead of being tossed around by secrets, now it was his turn to toss them around. Perhaps with his help, the hostilities between these two groups would end sooner and less people would have to needlessly die.

              Feliciano would have liked that very much.

 

More days passed, more weeks passed.

              Still, not a sign of Ludwig’s certain someone.

              Ludwig had been quite a self-reliant person from the start. When Feliciano literally dropped into his life, he undermined whatever carefully constructed defenses   Ludwig had built. Being with him and loving him made Ludwig realize what he had been missing. So when Feliciano disappeared as suddenly as he had arrived, it reopened the gaping hole of loneliness he didn’t realize he had.

              The days without him were not as wonderful. Ludwig’s time with Feliciano was so brief and eventful, that he sometimes wondered if it all really happened. There were times he began to wonder if the person he was waiting for would even come back.

              Time would pass and the world would go on. Still, he would wait.

 

Word of the bombing and chaos of that night eventually died down with time.

              Nobody outwardly spoke of it, but the Romans knew something was not right in the way that the situation was presented. The truth of that night would remain an unsolved mystery.

              Ludwig put down the newspaper and sipped his coffee. He looked down to see a large ball of flowy golden fur stand up and perk up its ears.

              “What is it, Aster?” Ludwig asked his dog. The dog exited the kitchen and elicited a muted beginning of a bark. Ludwig grew curious at this and stood up from the table. “Aster?”

              At the door, the dog seemed to pace around, seemingly wanting to go outside. A fluffy golden tail wagged in the air as the dog anticipated his arrival. “Okay, okay.” He said with a small smile. Ludwig went to the coat rack to get Aster’s leash. He placed the restraints on his excited dog and opened the door.

              There was nothing like the feel of the serene early morning sun on his face, he mused as he followed where Aster led. The golden dog occasionally sniffed things and did whatever important business dogs would have outside their houses.

              The dog lifted its nose in the air and sniffed again. Another half-hearted bark. Ludwig looked around to see what Aster was sensing, but everything seemed as it always was.

              Then he noticed it.

              Something was amiss with the flowerbed of hyacinths he planted about a week ago. There was a dent in the foliage, as if something or someone had gone through it. Aster walked up to it and sniffed it. The dog’s tail began to wag. The two looked around for more clues as to whom the perpetrator could be.

              They heard movement.

              Ludwig quietly unleashed Aster and placed the leash in his pocket. He slowly approached the back of the house, placing a hand on his pistol at its side. Behind the house was nothing out of the ordinary. Ludwig looked around once more to make sure everything was fine and then he went inside. It was probably some wildlife coming through.

              He continued with his daily routine of cleaning up after breakfast and getting ready to head back to the city. All the while, Aster was still more antsy than usual. It was as if she were anticipating something as she sat at the door patiently. As Ludwig continued his routine, he thought he kept catching glimpses of something at the windows in the corner of his eyesight.

              Perhaps there was an intruder?

              He went back to Aster, who was still sitting in the same position. He opened the door and peeked to see if someone or something had been lurking around his house. Aster seemed pretty calm about the situation, but Ludwig remained skeptical.

              Suddenly, Aster poked her snout in the crack of the slightly opened door and darted outside. Ludwig called out to the dog, but she seemed to be on the trail of something. He followed quietly, his hand ready to pull out his pistol again. They went in a few circles until Ludwig decided to go the other way to possibly catch what Aster was after.

              Ludwig stopped in his tracks as he stood in front of the house. He couldn’t believe what he saw, or rather, _who_ he saw.

              A hooded person was crouched on the ground, petting Aster, who was now trying to lick their face. “Stop it! That tickles!” A melodic voice rang with light laughter. The hood slid off to show a head of short auburn hair with a strange curl that Ludwig would know anywhere.

              The young man stopped as he realized the presence behind him. He stood up and took a deep breath, taking his time to turn around. Before him was a face that Ludwig was beginning to think he would only see in memories and dreams. A tender expression was in those amber eyes, warm like sunlight.

              They stood there staring, neither of them knowing what to do.

              “Feliciano…?” Ludwig asked as he cautiously took one step closer. This moment couldn’t be a dream, but it couldn’t be real either. Those amber eyes that he thought of so often searched his. Another cautious step, as if any sudden moves would make this moment vanish.

              “Ludwig…” His tone seemed to be asking if it were okay to be here, if it were okay to exist in this space.

              Before he could even think, Ludwig’s legs moved him forward. As he approached, he kept looking him up and down, taking him in before he disappeared, before he had to wake again from this moment he had often dreamed of.

              They stood before each other. A hand slowly went up to caress his cheek. Feliciano held his hand there and spoke once more. “Hello, Ludwig.” A gentle smile was on his face. A thumb traced the scar on his cheek.

              He couldn’t find the words, so he brought him in for a kiss instead.

              It took them a very long moment to pull apart because each time they tried, they wound up kissing again. Ludwig was filled with so much love and relief that he couldn’t think straight.

              Finally, Ludwig held him tightly and wept until he was able to speak again. “I thought you were dead until I found your things at the Forum and I—“ He kissed him again. “I’ve been waiting for you! Where have you been all this time?!”

              Feliciano smiled as he wiped his lover’s and his own tears. “I knew you would catch on to the clue I left behind! I’m so sorry I couldn’t come back sooner. I was in hiding; I needed everyone to think I was dead so they wouldn’t keep looking for me. That was the only way you could be safe, you know?”

              A sudden thought occurred to Feliciano and he pulled away. “I’m so sorry, I’m so very sorry, Ludwig! I didn’t mean any of what I did at that bridge; I would _never_ want to hurt you! I can’t even imagine what you must have thought when I—“ He stopped mid-sentence as he realized there was a thin scar of a slit across Ludwig’s throat peeking from his collar. He began to reach for it, but stopped midway as if it burned him. “I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t—” He began to turn away, but Ludwig stopped him by the shoulders, to keep him this time.

              “Feliciano, it’s okay. I forgive you. I understand you did what you had to. A lot happened after that. I’ll catch you up once we get inside. Are you here to stay this time?”

              The scar on Feliciano’s cheek grew redder as he blushed. “Well uh—Lovi told me a little bit and where you were and I just wanted to see if you were—“

              “If you’re ready to come home?”

              His eyes widened and his blush grew deeper. “Wait, what?! …Just like that…? Even after—” He began to fidget and looked off to the side as he spoke. “You make it sound like it’s so simple to do.”

              Ludwig took his fidgeting hands and held them. “It is. You said I was your home, didn’t you?”

              “Even after all I put you through…?” He was in disbelief.

              “Feliciano, I forgive you. No matter what you do, I could never hate you. Didn’t I tell you not to forget that?” He asked with a gentle smile on his face. “No matter how many years go by, I’ll always love you more than anything in this world. That still hasn’t changed.”

              “You really thought this through, didn’t you?” Feliciano was visibly affected by his words.

              “Well, you gave me a lot of time to think about it… and practice.” He chuckled. “Not to mention, you kept your promises! You came back like you said you would!” He smiled with a brilliance that Feliciano was taken aback by. How beautiful he was when he smiled!

              “Promises?” A puzzled look was on his face as Ludwig took his hand and began to lead him inside the house.

              “Well, you _did_ help me find my brother, remember? Thank you for that, by the way.” He pulled Feliciano in for another kiss before they reached the doorstep. Aster patiently followed behind. “This time, _I_ have a lot of explaining to do. C’mon, let’s catch up.” He opened the blue door, _their_ blue door.

              “I’ll tell you everything too. And I promise I won’t keep any of the truth from you this time.”

              Ludwig squeezed his hand. “I’d like that.”

              “So I can come home, then?”

              “Of course, _liebling_. Welcome home.”

 

_Will you speak low to me, speak love to me, and soon?_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧  
> Cue the Titanic music! (jk please don't! At The Beginning from Anastasia totally fits though.)  
> Thank you so much for reading till the end! As promised in the tags, there was a dog. 
> 
> * * * * *
> 
> All seriousness aside, if anyone hasn't caught on, I'd like to point out that Gilbert is a level 5 bi disaster, having a record of 3 unrequited crushes on assassins already in relationships. Help him.
> 
> Also, I lied about the protagonists being tracked down by reanimated people cuz technically they both died. Remember, "like Achilles and Patroclus, Apollo and Hyacinth, Romeo and Juliet?" Love me some sweet foreshadowing.
> 
> Speaking of Hyacinth, if anyone is wondering why the chapter is named Hyacinth:  
> It's not widely known, but even though the dude got ganked and turned into a flower, Hyacinth was brought back as a deity according to some ancient Spartan festival called Hyacinthia. So they really got a happy end.  
> Secretly coming back to life? I gotchu. (NGL, I just found out about the Hyacinth rebirth thing like yesterday and I'm just pulling this out of my ass.) Also naming it "Home" like I originally planned would be a dead giveaway in the index. Notice each chapter title is a line or part of a line from the chapter.   
> Also, in Buon San Valentino part 2, Germany gives Italy some Hyacinths on their date which I totally forgot about till 7 months after posting this ending LOL
> 
> Also, for real though, Kurt Weill's "Speak Low" just happened to fit really well with this story, so fucking superb, you funky little composer. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you again for reading my little 5-year work of love and I appreciate all of you who have left feedback!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it!  
> This fic is honestly just a work of love and I wasn't even sure if I was going to publish it online. (Are the Hetalia and Assassin's Creed fandoms still alive?) It took me 5 years to complete this, so I figured why not.  
> Comments are appreciated!


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